Elvish Blood
by Serena10
Summary: X-Over with The Lord of the Rings. Willow gets stuck in Middle-Earth. *Finished! There will be a sequel.*
1. Prologue

A redhaired young woman walked down the street, crossing it, heading to Sunnydale University's campus ground. Any demon would fly away if they came in her path that night. Furious she was and every single demon knew not to be in an angry witch way. Especially when that witch was best friend with the Slayer.   
  
"How dare he?! Stupid human male! Always making trouble or laughing at others. What's wrong with me?!" she yelled. "I shouldn't have let Buffy dress me. I look ridiculous." She looked down at her outfit, one she wouldn't dare wear... except when friends would practickly *beg* her to wear it.   
  
Buffy had begged Willow to wear that outfit when she had finally accepted to go bronzing with the rest of the Scooby Gang. Half an hour later, the redhead was walking down the campus with leather pant, black boots and a medieval black shirt. She wore her family's crest on her left hand, playing nervously with the simple silver ring with a black stone resting on top of it.   
  
A couple of drinks later, her *date* that her friends had planned had turned out badly and she had ended up there, walking back to her dorm room. "Why do I let myself walk on so easily?" she sighed, then looked up at the moon. "I'm no date material. I'm not at my place here. I should have been somewhere else tonight."  
  
Unfortunatly, her lightly spoken words were heard.   
  
Willow stopped dead in her track when a swirling spot of light appeared right in front of her. Wind blew her hair around her face, haze of fire and blood. Without realizing it, the light got nearer and nearer. She held her hand away from her chest, waving it throught the swirling temporal fold. Not that she knew it was that or she would have never stepped in...  
  
Never would have fallen unconscious in a forest of Middle-earth. 


	2. A Walk in the Forest

Birds sang from the top of a tall furnished tree. Nearby was a river if the sound of flowing water was any indication. Sunlight made its way through the tick branches of the trees. No road or house could be seen. Only the forest. [Wait.... forest?] Willow jumped on her feet and groaned when her head swam and her stomach seemed to roll over itself.  
  
After the dizziness passed, the redhead took a look around her. She was in the middle of a forest, surrounded by hundreds of trees in a variety she had never seen in the woods of Sunnydale. "Where the hell am I?" Willow exclaimed. She groaned when she saw that she was still wearing the leather pant and the black shirt. She sighed miserably. "Great. Well, lets go, feet!" She started walking, jumping on stones and catching leaves on her way.  
  
Two hours later, she was still walking, completly lost. "Now I'm sure I'm not in Sunnydale. I would have been out of the woods a long time ago." But even if she was lost, Willow didn't felt bad. A smile graced her features and she felt better than she had in days, weeks even. Maybe it was the feeling of peace in the forest, maybe the pure air, maybe the calming sound of water still there even if she hadn't seen a river. Or it could be something else.  
  
The environnment seemed to get brighter and brighter. Sunlight streamed down more easily between the trees, bigger spaces between them. The sign of the empending end of the forest was there, announcing that she'd soon fall on some city or park or whatever there was on the other side.   
  
But it wasn't a city or a park at the end of the woods.  
  
Miles and miles of green pastures and lonely groves of pines and birch were filling Willow's sight and even if the picture of the blue sky made her happy, not even a shadow of a smile appeared on her lips. She screamed in rage and pointed her index finger at the sky above. "What is it? A curse? To be lost forever in some countryside?"  
  
Suddenly, an ear plitting screamed filled the air. But it didn't sound like a human voice, more like an animal, an animal screaming. Willow shook her head in hope of making the inhuman sound disappear from her mind. She cocked her head when she heard clearly the thunder noises made by horses riding on high rapidity. "Maybe there's still hope," she whispered to herself.   
  
Willow broke into a wild run, jumping over bushes and pushing her legs until she thought she would collapse. When she couldn't move any further, she saw a cloud of sand coming staight at her. She wanted to go ahead and ask for help, but a weird feeling made her step back and jump up the nearby tree. Confused by her own reaction, she looked down, hoping to soon see some teenage horseback riders coming back from a school activity or maybe some camp.   
  
She startled when a white horse ran under her in surprising rapidity, on its back, a woman with long flowing brown hair holding a small package in her arms. Willow was ready to get down the tree and yell to her when another inhuman scream chilled her to the bones and made her stop. Nine black riders ran under her hiding place, swords hanging on their hips, bouncing with every step of their horses. [Swords? Where am I suppose to be? Or should I say when?]  
  
After the menace was far away, going into the woods again, Willow jumped down the tree. The sun hurted her eyes and she put her hand above her eyebrows, stoping the sunbeams from blocking her view. Looking in the direction the nine black riders and the woman came from, she saw a small hill with small forms on top of it, heading her way. Running for only a small distance, the redhead was able to see that it was a man getting down hill with three small creatures following behind. After a couple of minutes, the forms were a bit more clear and she could finally say that it wasn't animals behind the man, but small persons of about four feet tall. Normally, she would have said they were dwarves, but dwarves don't have pointed ears and hairy feet.  
  
No longer caring, Willow walked right before them, heading their way with the firm intention to speak to them. She was hungry, tired and she didn't know anyway to get out of this never ending green landscape. The forest was beautiful, but she wanted to see some traces of civilisation.  
  
As the small group came nearer to where she was standing, she saw the man looking at her suspiciously, apparently gauging her to see if she was friend or foe. Not long after, he let his hand fall from the handle of his sword and walked calmly to her. "Who are you?" he asked.  
  
Finally feeling nervous, Willow played with small treads of her red hair falling on her shoulders. "I'm Willow and to be truly truthfull, I haven't the smallest idea about where I am. Could you help me?" She looked down, his heavy gaze following her every movement. She felt uncomfortable when looking directly into his striking blue eyes.  
  
"We are going to Rivendell. You are welcome to join us if you mean no harm."  
  
"I mean no harm and I'm going with you even if I don't know what Rivendell is. I no longer have an interest in the forest after waking up there and spending two hours fighting my way through it only to face a never ending landscape of grass and trees."  
  
A small smile graced the man's features. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but our way is through the woods." He shrugged and passed beside her, walking the way the riders had tooken.  
  
Willow grimaced but followed him nonetheless. She felt the three small 'creatures' looking at her, inspecting her from every way. "What are you? I mean, I'm sorry if I'm rude or anything but....what are you?" she babled.   
  
"We are Hobbits of course. And this is Strider walking ahead. But don't talk to him. He's grumpy. By the way, my name is Peregrin Took or Pippin as my friends call me." He bowed before her then turned to the other Hobbits. "This is Sam and Merry. You would have met Frodo but...hum...he was hurted earlier and a friend took him with her for help."  
  
Willow's eyes widened. "A woman? With long brown hair?"  
  
Strider turned around and looked at her. "You saw her?" he asked hastily.  
  
"Yeah, and whoever or whatever They were was bad news."  
  
The three Hobbits exchanged worried looks and took another step in the redhead's way. "They?"  
  
"Yes, nine black riders were chasing them, the woman and your friend Frodo." She looked curiously at their reactions. Apparently, they had met the black riders before and they obviously meant bad news. If that scream wasn't a dead giveaway about that. "What are they?"  
  
"Ringwraiths," Strider answered vaguely. "Lets go." He walked faster, heading toward the woods, the three Hobbits following quickly behind.   
  
Not wanting to lose them out of sight, Willow ran to join them then started walking at their rythm. When they were at the edge of the forest, she stopped and sighed. "Well, so much for getting out of the woods earlier." Then, she took a step in and followed her guide to civilisation.  
  
About a mile from the edge, they arrived on the border of a river. Willow instantly recognize the sound of the peacefull waters that had geeted her when she had woken up a couple of hours before. There was tracks of horses near the river as if many of them had abruptly stopped there.   
  
The river wasn't very deep and they easily crossed it, even the Hobbits. On this side, they saw shapes in the earth. Someone had been put down here and had been picked up by the owner of the footprints. They followed the tracks of a horse for nearly an hour before the woods cleared and the land before them took the shape of a magnificent city constructed in wood and white and silver materials. There were falls not far from it and the sunlight made the construction sparkle, giving it an ethereal appearance.  
  
"Whoa! What is this place?" Willow asked in awe.  
  
Strider smiled. "This is Rivendell, the house of the lord Elrond." He began the walk down hill that lead to a bridge.  
  
The Hobbits followed, extatic. Sam jumped up and down, clearly disturbing Willow after seeing only a serious and worried Hobbit. "We are going to see Elves! I can't believe it!"  
  
The redhead looked at him as if he had grown a second head. [Elves?] Then she glanced at the city before her, picture of a land existing only in her wildest fantasy world. All the explanation for what had happened jumped in her face. The swirling light had been a temporal disturbance and she had apparently gone back in time of about eight hundred years. Of course, she had heard all those legends and myths about the Dwarves, the small men that she had learned were called Hobbits and the Elves, creatures that had always fascinated her. But when she had met Buffy, all those stories got locked into her personal closet in her mind, shadows of the fantasy that had filled her childhood.  
  
Now, all she thought had been just fairy tales for young girls that didn't believe in demons, vampires and ghosts was revealed to be the truth. She fainted. 


	3. Meetings

She felt the air blow lightly her hair, thousands of sophisticated parfums swirling around her, all melting down into one scent to perfect the atmosphere of fantasy and magnificence around her. As soon as she remembered where she was, Willow opened one eye. Strider was holding her in his arms, walking closer and closer to the elvish city. She sighed and closed her eye once more. Exhaustion finally caught her and she fell deeply asleep in the arms of the only human she would probably meet in the house of lord Elrond.  
  
She didn't know how long it took to come in the city nor how long she stayed in Strider's arms after crossing the edge of it. But she definitly felt it when the human shook her awake and made her sit on his knees. "What?" she mumbled, half asleep. She was vaguely aware that someone was standing in front of her and was even more convinced that her senses were true when she felt two hands touch her temples.   
  
Suddenly, Willow startled. A bolt of energy bursted through her and she gasped, her eyes now wide open. She jumped off of Strider and took a step back from the man that had stood in front of her. She closed her eyes and forced herself to relax. Then, she felt it. Every cells of her body were wide awake, feeling every magical cells around her. Her powers extanded to an impossible distance and she could distinguish sounds and smells she never could have a minute before the bolt of energy. She wasn't tired anymore and she felt as if she had the energy for ten people. She opened her eyes and looked at the man, quite troubled. "What did you do to me?"  
  
He smile. "It's elvish medicine. Welcome to Rivendell, Willow. I am Elrond, lord of this city." He laughed lightly when she looked even more troubled. "I hope you will enjoy your stay with us. I'm sorry, but I have a talk to finish with Gandalf. I'll let you in the good hands of Aragorn."  
  
Willow shot a look at Strider. "I'll take a wild guess and say that you are Aragorn." She sighed. "Elves. Ringwraiths. Hobbits. Where the hell did I land?" She sat down heavily beside Aragorn on the bed. She glanced by the window and saw golden leaves fall from the trees, sun rays playing with them and the wind making them float away. "Do you mind if I take a look around outside?" she asked the man beside her.  
  
He led her to a double door opening to a balcony leading to a link leading to garden areas and other rooms of the elvish city. She had never seen beauty like this one. Magic was strong in this place and Willow felt every vibs of the nature calling to her. She lost herself in a world of sensations. When she opened her eyes again, Aragorn was waiting at her side. "Explore as you like. Someone will come to you at dinner time." He went back inside the room, leaving her to her exploration of the city.  
  
Willow didn't know where to start. She might have been walking for hours for all she cared. All she wanted to do was to explore everything. Near an empty area with a couple of trees, she saw Merry, Pippin and Sam embracing an other Hobbit, one she would guess was Frodo. She smiled, glad that he had made it, escaped the black riders. She made her way into the sunlight and Merry saw her. "Willow! How do you feel? No bumps on your head I hope. You scared us when you suddenly fell unconscious."  
  
The redhead winced. "Too much emotions came to my head in a moment." She walked to the group of Hobbits. "And you must be Frodo. I'm glad you escaped the Ringwraiths, whatever that means." Willow frowned when a dark shadow passed on their faces. [Oops! Wrong thing to say, Will.]   
  
She heard someone singing softly and she looked around, trying to locate the sound. There, on a bench underneath a tree sat an old Hobbit writing in a book. She took a step back and let the four young Hobbits fool around. She quickly made her way to the alone Hobbit and sat beside him, looking over his shoulder to see what he was doing. "What are you writing?" she asked.  
  
He startled when he heard the soft voice. "Oh my! You scared me, dear. This is my book." On the first page was written in beautiful calligraphy the title of the book :   
  
There and Back Again  
A Hobbit's Tale by Bilbo Baggins  
  
She flipped the pages, wonderful compendium of charts, images of creatures and weaponery, cultures of differents races and adventures of an hobbit exploring Middle-earth. [So, that is the name of where I am.] She handed back the book to Bilbo. "It's beautiful. You do good job."  
  
A voice interrupted her. "There you are. I've been looking for you for about an hour and here you were speaking calmly with Bilbo."   
  
Willow laughed and turned around, meeting the playful eyes of Aragorn. "You did said I could explore everything and that someone would warn me at dinner time." She stood up and helped Bilbo up, handing him his cane. "Lets go eating! I'm starving!"  
  
The old Hobbit laughed. "Good idea!"  
  
Aragorn led them to the dinner room. Willow stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the room. Silver candlesticks were placed everywhere. A soft smell of sandallwood hung in the air and a light wind came in through the opened double doors leading to a balcony. The room was decorated in the softest materials, in silver and lavender and light greens and blues, giving the entire room a look of elegance and beauty, whole image of a fantasy city. "Wow," she whispered.  
  
Willow was invited to sit between Bilbo and Merry, facing Pippin, Sam and Frodo on the other side of the table. Just beside them was seated Aragorn. He was looking thoughtfully at the female Elf in front of him and Willow gasped when she recognize her as being the woman riding the white horse. At the end of the table, Elrond sat with an old man at his side. She remembered her earlier talk with the lord and guessed the man was Gandalf. She liked the look in his eyes. But something disturbed her. Everything in her was screaming for him. A strong signature of powerful magic filled her mind. [A Wizard!] Surprise was etched on every parts of Willow's face and the Hobbits saw it.  
  
Frodo smiled gently when he saw that Gandalf was the object of her surprise. "Never saw a Wizard before, Willow?" he asked her.  
  
"Actually, I never met an Hobbit nor an Elf. This place is a strange world for me." Then she frowned to herself when she heard how strange that had sound. Magical beings were weird for her when demons, mummy and vampires weren't. [I've lived too long on the Hellmouth.]  
  
After a gastronomic dinner and a show of wonder when seeing how much a single Hobbit could eat, they were all lead to a room next to the dinner room. At the end of it, there was a fire place, fire already dancing, flames caressing the air, warming it. There were already Elves in the room, seated comfortably and singing softly songs in the beautiful elf language.   
  
Willow got lost in her thoughts, hipnotized by the softly spoken words of the singers. Never before had she heard a melody this enchanting. Everything in this city was mesmerizing her. Never in her wildest dreams did she ever thought Elves could be that special.  
  
Elrond had been observing the redhead though the entire dinner. There was something different about her, something special. Magical signature was ever present around her. He had spoken of his observations to his long time friend Gandalf and the wizard had also felt the power surrounding the young woman. He thought it would be a good idea if she came to the secret meeting the council had the next morning and never before is instinct had wronged him.   
  
Finally deciding it was the best solution to maybe know a bit more about the strange redhead, he took his daughter's hand. "Come Arwen. I want you to meet someone." The beautiful Elf stood up with the lord and together, they walked to where Willow was standing. She was near the fire, vision of flame with skin as pale as the moonlight. "Willow," Elrond said. "This is my daughter, Arwen."  
  
Willow smiled, shaking hands with Arwen. "It's an honnor to meet you. You're a wonderful horseback rider." When the brunette Elf shot her a strange look, she understood that she probably had no idea about what she was talking about. "Oh, sorry! I saw you this morning being chased by those black riders."  
  
Not wanting to hear anything else about the Ringwraiths, Elrong cut the conversation. "Willow, there will be a meeting of the council tomorrow morning. You might be interested in what we will debate about. I'd like you to be there."   
  
"Of course, I'll be there," she answered truthfully. The prospect of assisting to one of those Elves council was more that she could hope for. She didn't know how long she would be staying in this world, but she had no intention to ruin her chance to learn about those fairy tales creatures before being stuck back in SunnyHell.  
  
As Elrond went back to his place, she saw Arwen sneak outside with Aragorn and Willow smiled to herself. [Have fun, you two.] She sat beside an elf in the circle. Relaxed, she listened carefully to the lyrics of the songs, having learned long ago in a book the language of the Elves, not that she once thought she would use it. As the song ended, she closed her eyes. For the first time of her life, she would fight her fear and she would sing in front of others.   
  
O môr henion i dhû:  
Ely siriar, êl sila  
Ai! Aniron Undomiel  
  
Tiro! Êl eria e môr.  
I 'lir en êl luitha 'uren.  
Ai! Aniron...  
  
Bilbo sat beside her in the empty chair. "I didn't know you could speak elvish." Willow winked at him and she laughed lightly. She sat back comfortably in the chair, ready to enjoy the rest of the evening. 


	4. The Council of Elrond

"People from distant lands, you are here to debate about a subject that concern us all. You will unite or you will fall." Elrond turned toward Frodo and pointed a large round stone in the center of the assembly. "Show them the ring, Frodo Baggins."  
  
Willow sat next to Aragorn in a half circle. She watched with great interest everything that was going on, a bit confused by the reactions around the room at the sight of the gold ring. In front of her sat Frodo and Gandalf. Beside the wizard was a group of four Elves. Next to them sat four Dwarves, then five humans. Sitting at the end of the assembly were Aragorn and herself.  
  
Suddenly, the younger of the five man stood up. "This ring his a gift to all the enemies of Mordor. Why not use it against them?"  
  
"No," Aragorn said. "No one can control it, Boromir."  
  
"And what does a Ranger know about that?"  
  
Willow watched in awe as the two men argued. "Too much testosterone in this room," she muttered. She stopped her musing when she saw an Elf stand up and take a step toward Boromir. "He isn't any Ranger. He's Aragorn, the son of Arathorn."  
  
Boromir turned and glared at Aragorn. "The descendant of Isildur."  
  
"And the rightful owner of the throne of Gondor," the Elf said.  
  
Willow did a double-take and glared at the man sitting next to her. He was totally serious, but still seemed disturbed by the outcome of the assembly. "Sit down, Legolas." The blond Elf did as he was told.  
  
Boromir shot a look full of hatred at Aragorn. "The Gondor doesn't have a king... and doesn't need one."  
  
Finally having it with their childish behavior, Elrond stood up. "Aragorn is right. The ring must be destroyed."  
  
"What are we waiting for." One of the Dwarves suddenly picked up his axe and swung it on the golden ring.   
  
Willow startled when the axe exploded. When the cloud of smoke dissipated, the ring was there on the stone, completly intact. "The ring can't be destroyed by anything in our possession, Gimli son of Gloin. The ring was made in the fire of Mountain Doom, it is only there that it can be unmade. One of you must do it."   
  
Silence established itself around the council. Willow started to understand what was going on. Somehow, Frodo had been in possession of this ring. Nine Ringwraiths from Mordor had been sent to find it and bring it back to their master. And she did understand that the small thing must be very powerful and terribly dangerous if they wanted to destroy it. And by the look of the faces of the assembly, Mordor wasn't paradise.  
  
A sighed escaped Boromir's lips. "Nobody can simply enter in Mordor. The black gates are constantly garded by evil that does not sleep. Air is poisonous. Even a thousand men could not do it."  
  
Legolas stood up again and without her knowledge, the redhead's eyes turned to him. "Haven't you heard what lord Elrond said. The ring must be destroyed."  
  
Suddenly, Gimli jumped out of his chair and took a step toward the Elf. "Uh oh," Willow whispered. "This is bad news."  
  
"And I suppose you think you are the one to do it," the Dwarf said with an angry voice. The hatred between Dwarves and Elves was legendary. "I would prefer to die than see that ring in the hand of an Elf!"  
  
The room exploded. Tension was so thick it could be cut with a knife. Willow's eyes widened when she saw everybody stood up, confronting one another with pointless arguments. In front of her, Frodo stared at the ring without batting an eye. She understood what was happening. The ring carried so great evil that it influenced everyone around. It was as if it had a will of its own.  
  
She gasped when Frodo stood up and got closer to the ring. "I'll do it."  
  
Everyone turned toward the small man with surprised look on their faces. Gandalf smiled and came to stand behind his protege. "I'll help you carry this burden as long as it is yours to carry."  
  
Aragorn kneeled in front of the Hobbit. "And if I can protect you with my life, I will. You have my sword."  
  
Willow saw Legolas think about it for about five seconds before he gave out and crossed the distance to the Hobbit. "And you have my bow."  
  
"And my axe!" someone said. The redhead saw the Elf roll his eyes when Gimli stood next to him, glaring at him in defiance.  
  
Boromir walked to them calmly. "You have our faith in your hands, Little One. And if it is the wish of this council, the Gondor will bring its help."  
  
"Hey, Frodo won't go anywhere without me!" Sam jumped from the bushes where he had been hiding for the last half an hour.  
  
Elrond smiled. "No, you two can't be separated even when one is invited to a secret assembly and you're not," he stated, completly amused by the whole situation.  
  
Merry and Pippin came running from another direction. "We are going too!" Elrond frowned when two other Hobbits came running in the circle, evidence that not only Sam had assisted to the council in secret. "Anyway you need intelligent people to do that mission," Pippin stated.  
  
"That means you're in the wrong place, Pippin," Merry said, joking as ever.  
  
"I am," a voice stated from across the room. Every faces turned toward the only female assisting to the council. Willow looked at Frodo. She had once given her help to Buffy, the Slayer, to help save the world countless times. Now, she would give her knowledge to Frodo. "My help and my knowledge are what I offer you." She took her place next to Boromir.  
  
Elrond smiled. "Ten companions. So be it. As of now, you are the fellowship of the ring."  
  
"Great!" Pippin exclaimed. "Where are we going?" 


	5. Deep in Snow

"You ready to go?"  
  
Willow turned to look at Boromir. "Yes. I only have my brain to pack and I always keep it with me," she said, laughing. She joined the man and they stepped down the stairs two by two. The rest of the fellowship was already down, waiting for the blond man and the redhead to join them. At the last step, the witch stopped and turned around, looking back at the city, hoping to keep the memory of it forever engraved in her mind. "Goodbye," she whispered. She jumped down the last step and ran to join the rest of the crew already moving across the bridge.  
  
For days they walked, stopping only for meals and to sleep a couple of hours per nights. The first few days were quite tiring, but after that, they all caughed up with the routine. They walked in rain, under the sun, in valleys, on hills, crossing river or desertic areas. Nothing stopped them.  
  
Two weeks after being away from Rivendell, they were crossing the edge of a small forest. Willow was walking next to Gandalf, one that shared a similar power than her but in higher proportion. The wizard took a look at his companion for the moment. "Why did you come with us, Willow?" he asked.  
  
"I had nowhere else to go and I wanted to help you... all of you."  
  
"But surely you could have gone back home."  
  
The redhead frowned. "No. I couldn't. I still can't. Not until the temp..." She suddenly stopped talking. She had been one step from saying it. One more word and he would have known, or maybe suspected, where or when she came from. Not wanting to repeat the same mistake again, Willow closed down on herself and slowed down a bit, changing partner. Legolas joined her in silence. He didn't bothered her like sometimes the others did. The Elf rarely spoke and she was rather glad to be next to someone that knew quite much more than her considering he might be a couple thousands years older.  
  
Merry grabbed Frodo's arm and pulled him close. "You should tell Gandalf to stop talking to her for a couple of days. Everytime they are alone, they start talking and then poof! She closes on herself. The last time it happened, it took Pippin and me about two days to get her to speak again. We were exhausted."  
  
Frodo chuckled. "Well, I hope you haven't losen touch because you're going to need it."  
  
Merry sighed, then ran and jumped on Willow's back. The redhead squealed. "Merry, get down!" She let his legs fall from her arms and he jumped down then pulled her between Pippin and himself.   
  
"I want to see a smile first," he said, doing his best I'm-serious look.  
  
Willow laughed at the Hobbit. "Ok, I promess I won't brood anymore." Smiling, she put her hand in his much smaller one and they walked in companiable silence until Gandalf stopped the fellowship for the dinner.  
  
Aragorn put himself in charge of the fire while Boromir went in search of dry wood. Sam was already preparing the food to be cooked. He was an Hobbit after all. Darkness slowly installed itself in the woods, clue that they would soon be too tired to think and would fall asleep.  
  
Legolas looked deep into the forest, head cocked to the side as if he was listening to something nobody else could. "There's a river near by. I can hear it."  
  
Gandalf gave him the gourds of the crew as well as a bucket. "Take as much as you can. Willow, go help him please." Following the orders of the one they considered the leader of the fellowship, the Elf and the witch made their way deep into the darkness of the woods in search of fresh water.  
  
Following them with his eyes, Frodo smiled while eating a piece of mushroom. Merry saw him smiling and joined him while taking a look as to where Legolas and Willow had disappeared. "You saw it too," he stated.  
  
The bearer of the ring nodded. "They keep glancing at each other even if I think it is unconsciously. They are attracked to the other and they don't even know it yet." He chuckled. "I can't wait to see the fireworks."  
  
* * *  
  
"Are you sure about where you are heading? I don't know about you, but I can't see a damn thing," the redhead said. She saw a hand extanded to her. She grabbed it and held it close as the Elf guided them.  
  
"I've grown in trees. I spend all my time in the forest back home. My city is on the edge of Mirkwood."   
  
They finally arrived in a small clear area. The moon shined down on them and Willow could finally see where she was walking. They made their way to the river and crouched down to take as much water as they could. Nobody could say when they'd have a chance to have fresh water again.  
  
Willow sighed. "What I would give for a hot bath," she said, looking longily at the water.  
  
"Well, forget about the hot part and the other you can have," a voice said from behind her.  
  
Before she could answer, the redhead screamed as she was pushed in the river. She gasped as the cold water hit her body. She pushed her wet hair out of her forehead then turned toward the laughing figure on the edge of the river. "Oh, you're gonna get it, Legolas."   
  
Without warning, she jumped up and grabbed his arms, pulling him with her in the cold water. She gigled as a soaked Elf surfaced. She pulled herself out of the water then climbed on her feet to help Legolas to step out of it too. Looking down at herself, completly wet from head to toes, she sighed. "We should better go back to the camp before they send a search party for us." They grabbed the gourds and headed back in the woods.  
  
* * *  
  
"Gandalf, normally I wouldn't worry too much, but they've been gone for almost an hour," Boromir said, worried about two of his new friends. When they had a moment of peace, he and the redhead he had learned to appreciate had sparred. He had given her good tips in sword fighting. The slight woman had even surprised him a couple of times with her elvish agility, her men's strenght and the numerous hand to hand combat tips she knew, thanks to Buffy.  
  
The wizard frowned. "I know, I'm beginning to worry too." Just as he said that, two laughing figures stepped out of the darkness, still completly soacked. They froze when they saw the look Gandalf gave them. "And where have you been?"  
  
Willow coughed then let the gourds fall down. "Everyone who wants water, it is here and it's pretty good." She let herself fall down near the fire with a sigh and eagerly ate the food on her plate.   
  
As the night was firmly established around them, the cold made an appearance. Willow and Legolas greatfully took the two spare blankets Gandalf gave them. They kept them for cases like this.   
  
Later, the entire fellowship fell asleep, cuddled together to fight the coldness of the night. In the morning, Willow woke up to find herself cuddled in Boromir's chest. She groaned and rolled on herself to get off of his protective arms and his warmth. The fire had been build up again and Legolas was sitting in front of it. She sat next to him and they waited for the others to wake up. In all that time, they didn't exchanged a word about the night before.  
  
Not long after the waking up hour, everyone was ready to go back on the road. They took off again in the woods. At noon, the forest was already far behind them. They stopped for a few hours on a rocky structure and Gandalf took that opportunity to gave them details about the way they were going to take.  
  
Merry and Pippin were practicing sword fighting with Boromir while Aragorn watched, smoking. Willow laughed as the two hobbits jumped on the bigger man, yelling "For the shire!"   
  
The redhead took their place. "How about a real workout Boromir. I feel quite refreshned today and I thought why not? I could give you a couple of other tricks in hand to hand combat." She chuckled darkly, giving her best impersonation of evil Willow.  
  
Aragorn laughed and the others were wondering what was happening. The small atroupment looked in awe as the slip of a girl stepped into a fighting stance. They stopped breathing as Boromir landed a punch and she dodged it easily, stepping to her left. She knocked off his right leg as he swung it to her side. Balancing her height on her left foot, she did a spin kick, catching him on the shoulder and propulsing him a few feet away. She crouched down when he swung his arm at her and she kicked his legs just hard enough to make him fall. He knocked her and he stood up. Not letting him have the advantage on her, she did that flip back Buffy had shown her in training session.   
  
Boromir glared at her. "Where did you learn to fight like that?"  
  
She shrugged. "A friend showed me," she said, keeping to herself that the friend in question was also a girl. [Thank God for my best friend being a slayer.]   
  
Standing on a rock, Legolas left the sight of Willow kicking Boromir's ass to look at the sky. Not a mile away, a black cloud was advancing rapidly toward them and the wind blew his hair in his face. Boromir's attention was caught by the Elf staying as still as a statue. "What is that?"  
  
Gimli shrugged. "It's only a cloud."  
  
But the man wouldn't have it. "A little cloud that advance fast and against the wind."  
  
The perfect sight of Elves helped Legolas to distinguish what was approaching them. "Birds! Spies of Saruman looking for us! Hide!" He jumped down the stone and grabbed Willow's hand as she just kept looking at the black birds. They ran to the nearest bush and hide under it, waiting for the spies to pass.   
  
When they were definitly out of eyesight, the fellowship got out of their hiding places and took all they needed for the rest of the quest. Gandalf was angry, his initial path to Mordor being under high surveillance. "We can't go that way now. We're are going to take Caradhras pass." He pointed the white mountains behind him and the fellowship groaned.   
  
Willow took the blanket Gandalf had given her the night before and wrapped it around her shoulders, ready to fight against the cold. She was not sure what they were up against. She had never been mountain climbing before and had never put a single foot into snow, having grown in Sunnydale, right in south California.   
  
For three days, they walked to the mountains, keeping eyes on the sky for any appearance of the spies coming from Fangorn, but none of them could be seen. On the fourth day, light snow covered the ground. The first sign that they had started the road through Caradhras pass was there.  
  
When snow started to be in bigger quantity, Willow started cursing winter. Sure, her boots ended at the knees, but they had not been made to walk deep in snow. She advanced slowly behind Gimli, thankfull that he and the wizard had already made the path clearer. She watched, amazed, as Legolas made his way slowly behind them, not having any difficulties or incommodations in winter's white frozen rain. Elves were so light that they could litterally walk *on* snow.   
  
On the next morning, the two men had snow at waist level. They each had two Hobbits in their arms, Bill the poney trailed behind them. Gandalf was tiring from making the path. Willow was positivly frozen and the chilling wind didn't seemed to stop. Blizzard was making it hard for them to see, even for Legolas' superior sight. But his ears weren't incommodated.  
  
Passing besides the fellowship stucked in deep snow, he made his way to the edge of the mountain, hearing something from far away. Aragorn frowned when he saw the red haired girl cocking her head to the side, trying to listen to something throught the wind. He was quite surprised to see Legolas do the exact same thing then proclaim to hear a sinister voice. "It's Saruman!" Gandalf yelled.  
  
For the first time, the fellowship noticed the black clouds over their heads. Small bits of rocks fell down the edge above them. "He's trying to provoke an avalanche!" Aragorn yelled back.   
  
Suddenly, lightening struck down the edge and a large piece of solidified snow started to slide down. Legolas ran to Gandalf standing right underneath the avalanche and pulled him back so he rested back to the mountain as the avalanche swallowed them all.  
  
A blond head surfaced and the Elf looked around. Boromir got out from under with still Merry and Pippin in his arms. Aragorn got out, Frodo clutching his arm. As soon as he was out of his hole, he fell down on his knees and dug out Sam. Gandalf and Gimli were visible form under the snow and the two men had no trouble getting them up on two feet.   
  
Merry looked around, nervously searching for a familiar face. When he didn't saw her, he froze. "Where's Willow?"   
  
The Elf swung his head around at the sound of the Hobbit's voice. Quickly looking around, he found what he was looking for. A piece of red hair struck out of the snow like a flairing signal. In a moment, she was safely tucked in his arms. "She's breathing," he announced. "But her lips are turning blue. She needs to be warmed up now." He took his own blanket from around his shoulder, wrapping it around the slight woman in his arms, then stood up.   
  
"We have to go back! Lets take Rohan's road and make a slight detour to my city," Boromir said.  
  
"No," Aragorn replied. "We would be too near from Isengard."  
  
"If we can't go over the mountain, then lets go underneath it," Gimli proposed, knowing well that Gandalf was not going to be alright with this solution.   
  
The wizard knew he had no choice. He would lose one member of the fellowship if he didn't go back, but he also feared what the Dwarves had awaken in the Moria. "Let the ringbearer chose. Frodo?"  
  
The Hobbit didn't have to think about it twice. "We'll take the mine."  
  
Gandalf reluctanly agreed. "Then so be it." 


	6. The Moria

"I can't believe I passed out from fear," Willow muttered.  
  
They had been back on solid ground for three days. The entire fellowship was exhausted and had earned a break. In turn, they had kept watch on the redhead, slowly warming up. After the first day of rest, she had woken up Sam from deep sleep when stumbling over his pans in search of food. The Hobbit was so sleepy it took him a couple of minutes before realizing that Willow was finally up. By the look of it, she wasn't injured, just starving. Everyone was happy that the story of Caradhras pass hadn't ended too badly.  
  
Aragorn laughed. "Well, when you see it that way, it sure looks pathetic. But at least, you didn't have to dig yourself out of snow."   
  
From outside the circle of friends around the fire, Gandalf smiled. He had to admitt that the redhead brought a joviality in the group that might have been missing if she hadn't been part of the quest. Sure there was Pippin, but he seemed to stick with stupidity. He had watched Willow closely, still haven't lost the idea that she wasn't just a human woman. She wasn't from Gondor or part of the Rohan riders and she was certainly not like Aragorn when he was going as Strider. [Then where is she from? What is she?] The redhead was a bundle of joy for the fellowship, but also carried with her a great deal of mystery and secrets to be unfold. On under circumstances, he might have thought that she what a spy for Saruman or Sauron, but she didn't have a dark soul. Purity was her name.  
  
Gandalf had been surprised at first when he had heard Frodo and Merry discussing the redhead and the Elf of Mirkwood. He had not believe it at the beggining, but as the days passed, he could clearly see the evolution of the relationship between Legolas and Willow. He never thought he would see an Elf fall in love like that, especially not this Elf. Legolas had always seemed distant and focussed, never having time to have friends, always on the run. He didn't know what it was between them, friendship or attraction or love, but something was definitly going on. Something was going to happen soon : he felt it.  
  
After a meal, the fellowship fell asleep, ready to go back on track the next morning. They were excited yet scared to go deep inside the earth, in the mine of Moria. Most of them felt both, but Gimli was over excited to see his cousin Balin and Gandalf frightened that he would fail the fellowship if they came upon what the Dwarves had awaken. As soon as everybody was up, they packed and there they were, walking toward the mine.  
  
Two days later, they fell upon a path leading back to the mountains. They followed it and soon found a road crossing a lake and heading right to a rocky wall. Gandalf passed his hand on it and a fine line appeared underneath the ashes. The moon rose high over theirs head and its light reflected on the material spread over the mountain. The shape of a door appeared in luminiscent white.  
  
"It says here Speak friend, and enter," Gandalf translated.  
  
Sam and Frodo exchanged a glances. "Do you know what it means?" Frodo asked.  
  
"It's fairly simple," Gandalf answered. "You say the password and the door shall open." He tried countless times to open the door, but nothing happened. Gandalf was fast losing patience and sat down heavily, letting his stick fall down.  
  
But something strange was happening. The reflective material was giving powerful vibs and Willow felt every of it. She was attracted to the door. Unconsciously, she walked to it in a daze. As she stepped into the moonlight, her skin seemed to illuminate. She put her delicate hand on the star shaped symbol. "Mellon!" she said in a loud voice. The door opened itself.  
  
Gandalf jaw fell. It was so simple he hadn't thought about it. The redhead was more surprising than he thought, but also strange. The way she had advanced on the door and how her body had looked like in the moonlight were both weird events.  
  
Willow shook out the mist from her mind and looked befundled at the open door before her. With a smirk, she gestured her friends to the entryway. "Why don't you come on in!"   
  
"Now, my friends, you are going to meet Dwarf hospitality : a good night sleep, a piece of meat, one good ale. And they call it a mine! A mine!" Gimli exclaimed.  
  
Boromir lowered his torch down. "It isn't a mine. It's a tomb," he said as a matter of fact.   
  
Several squelettons covered the stairs and the ground, most of them Dwarves, but also an other kind of creature. Legolas crouched down before a body with an arrow stuck between ribs. "Goblins!" he exclaimed with a grimace.   
  
"Lets get out of here!" Boromir yelled, but when they retreated back to the entrance, the stones Merry and Pippin had thrown in the lake had disturbed a beast from under the water. Several long slimey arms shot out of water and grabbed Frodo. After a fight with the beast, the fellowship ran back inside the mine and the roof near the door collapsed on the crawling creature, blocking the exit behind them. "We don't have a choice now," Boromir muttered.  
  
"Silence," Gandalf whispered. "It's a four day walk and maybe we can hope to go through without being discovered." Leading the way with his glowing stick, the wizard kept silent through most of the way. When they came about three path leading to different way, he finally stopped walking and the tired crew collapsed on their butts.  
  
"I don't like this place. It makes my skin crawl," Willow whispered to Legolas.   
  
The Elf nodded, understanding her because he was feeling the same way. His place wasn't underground but above ground, in trees. Elves didn't live in mines and caves, but on oceans and in forests. Legolas saw the redhead shiver and he surrounded her shoulders with his arms, trying to calm her. [The poor girl is frightened.]   
In silence, Aragorn watched the scene. He had found out about the similarities between the Elf and the redhead at the same time than Gandalf. He still found it weird, but he understood how a mortal could love an immortal being. He loved Arwen after all even if there was something else going on. He *knew* Willow wasn't an ordinary human girl. She was different. He could feel it in his guts.  
  
When Gandalf suddenly decided on their way to go, they followed him silently, having a weird feeling about the Moria. The bad feeling dissapeared when they reached the city of the Dwarves with the high columns sparkling with minerals encrusted in the stone. Half way through it, they reached open doors and a sinister sight was set before them. The doors lead to a small room covered in dead Dwarves. A stone tomb rested in the middle of the room.   
  
It was Gimli's cousin final resting place.  
  
The Orcs had fallen on them, locking them in this room. They had killed them all. Arrows struck from every skeletton.   
  
The recommandation was now to travel in complete silence, not even a whisper. But Pippin's badluck was a curse. He stumbled onto a corpse near a hole and it fell in it, taking the chain and the bucket attached to it in the deeper parts of the Moria.  
  
Suddenly, drums from below them were heard. Not a minute after, they were under attack. The Orcs were everywhere, but they didn't give up. Legolas shot as many as possible before they could cross the door and Gimli was working only on revenge instincts. The four Hobbits and Willow were doing their best with a sword and the redhead had the advantage on her enemies most of the times because of her combat skills. Aragorn wasn't missing any of the ugly beasts and Gandalf had is share of the fight as well as Boromir.   
  
Things suddenly got ugly when a monstruous cave Troll came in the room. Willow was panicking. She couldn't handle it anymore. Frodo had just receive the pointy end of a lance through him and Legolas had scared her shitless when he had jumped on the Troll. She fell on her knees and screamed.  
  
The rest of the Orcs stayed still and they got nervous as they felt the energy pouring from every cells of the redhead. Her skin became shiny and long red hair floated around her like a haze of fire and blood. The Orcs ran out of the room, recognizing power stronger then they were.  
  
Gandalf watched, amazed at the sight before him. Wind blew around the room, swirling around the redhead in the corner. Light seemed to come out from her body and thousands of voices joined her own. He couldn't hear what she was saying, but the power seemed to flow with her voice. The fact that the Orcs had ran when seeing her was proof enough to him that Willow was much more powerful than she let on.   
  
Distracted by the light coming from the young woman, the Troll left his prey alone and turned to her, opened his mouth and growled loudly. Seeing the last opportunity they had, Legolas took an arrow and launched it with perfection in the mouth of the Troll. Dying, the beast fell hard on the ground. The Elf returned back to the redhead.   
  
All of the sudden, everything became silent. No more wind, no more voices, no more words flew out of Willow's lips. With a groan, the redhead fell down before her on two hands and she held one to her nose as blood ran down from it. She breathed heavily. Tears rolled down her cheeks. Legolas took a step toward her and she crawled backward rapidly. "Don't come near me!" she cried.  
  
"Willow, you are hurting," he argued softly.  
  
"I said don't come near me!" She weeped in her corner, hugging her knees to her chest.   
  
Gandalf sat down on a broken piece of the tomb and waited. The others did like him. The redhead finally stopped crying. "Willow," Gandalf said gently.  
  
The witch lifted up her head and looked at the wizard. "You don't know how close I came to lose it," she whispered. "I promised myself I would never lose control again." She snorted. "It never came to me that I might find myself deep underground with a bunch of Orcs and a Troll attacking us. Oh, I've seen much bigger opponants in the past, but Buffy was much stronger than them. Today, I realized how vulnerable I am, how vulnerable will all are. Frodo would have been killed if not for that mithril thingy Bilbo gave him."  
  
"But you saved us Willow. You scared the Orcs away." Gandalf stopped talking when he heard the scream made by those creatures. "I'd like to discuss this further, but we don't have time. Lets get out of here!"  
  
Legolas helped Willow stand up and they ran behind the rest of the fellowship.  
  
"To the bridge of Khazad-dûm!" Gandalf yelled.  
  
The crew ran as fast as they could, chased by hundreds of Orcs. They appeared from everywhere. Some came by the roof, others by doors, others through the ground. Soon enough, they were surrounded. Legolas squeezed Willow's hand and she was ready for another display of magical power when a loud growl made the Orcs scream. Their high pitched voices chilled the fellowship, but it was nothing compared to the growl. If something else than Willow's power scared them enough to ran away and hide meant it was bad knews.  
  
No more Orcs around them, they looked around. From the way they had been coming now advanced a bright orange light, like a thousand flames glowing in the dark. "What is this new trick?" Boromir asked Gandalf.  
  
The wizard closed his eyes in hope to concentrate enough to identify the new foe. Willow did the same, but the surge of dark power from the creature repulsed her so, she stopped to concentrate and cursed. "Fuck!"  
  
Gandalf felt it soon after. "A Balrog," he said darkly. "A demon of the ancient world." Legolas froze. He had heard the name before. He was older than the others thought and the knowledge of ancient world demon hadn't been lost to him. Gandalf continued. "This adversary is stronger than you. Run!" The Elf didn't have to be told twice as he knew what they were up against. He pulled Willow with him and they lead the crew to a never ending flight of stairs. They started to go down as fast as possible.  
  
In the middle of the second part of it, there was a big hole, but still close enough from the rest of the stair to jump. Being the one with the greatest agility, Legolas jumped then called the others one by one. Gandalf jumped first then Willow. Just as the redhead had made it pass the hole, an arrow hit the first step. Orcs were shooting arrows at them, slowing them down. The elvish archer shot an arrow with a rapidity and precision born of centuries. But he didn't have the time to kill all the Orcs. A part of the upper stair had just fallen in emptyness. Letting his bow fall on the ground, he turned back to the rest of the crew and helped Boromir stabilize when he jumped with both Merry and Pippin. Aragorn took Sam and he launched him across the hole. Gimli jumped himself but not far enough. Legolas caught him by his beard, enjoying this moment of revenge against the Dwarf.   
  
Orcs still continued to shot arrows at the members of the fellowship, giving time to the Balrog to catch them. But Willow would have none of it. Her anger was building up and she felt it when her power surged through her entire body. This time, she didn't lose control. She heard the Orcs scream when they noticed her eyes had turned black and that the air flew around her like a tornado. With deadly precision, she shot bolts of lightening at the screaming creatures. When most of them had fallen in the hot lava bellow, the rest ran away and the witch smiled evilly. Her eyes became their natural green when she felt Gandalf's hand on her shoulder, calming her down. She turned back to see Aragorn and Frodo jump as the upper part of the stair moved in their direction then fell down in the flames bellow.  
  
"Come on! Quick!" the man said.  
  
Legolas grabbed his bow and joined them in their descent toward the bridge of Khazad-dûm. When they were near enough, a shape formed itself in the flames behind them. A dark shadow covered in flames growled at them. The gigantic wingeg demon chased them to the narrow bridge. Not taking the time to look at the beast behind them, the fellowship crossed the bit of rock leading to the exit. But Gandalf wouldn't let the Balrog follow them. He wouldn't permit it.  
  
Turning back in the middle of the bridge, Gandalf faced the demon. "You can not pass! I am the bearer of the the flame of Anor! You can't defeat me! Go back in the shadows!" Lifting up is magical stick, a light surrounded him and when the demon's fire sword hit Gandalf's one, the Balrog was repulsed and he growled in frustration. He produced a whip from the flames covering his body, a long red whip in the shape of a snake tongue. "You shall not pass!" the wizard yelled. He slammed down the stick and the sword in the middle of the bridge. When the Balrog stepped on it, the stone collapsed to the middle. Gandalf put down his weapons as the ancient world demon fell in the precipice.  
  
But in a supreme last effort, the demon crackled the air with the whip, catching the wizard's ankle. "Gandalf!" Frodo called, trying to go back to help him, but Boromir stopped him from running to his death.  
  
Hearing his name, the wizard looked up and saw that Boromir had to stop Frodo, Aragorn watched helplessly and that Legolas had to virtuality drag Willow with him to the stair leading to freedom. "Run you fool," he said, then let go of the bridge and fell down with the demon. 


	7. The Elven Sorceress

Outside, Merry and Pippin sat side by side, Pippin in tears. Frodo walked silently, lost in his world of pain. Sam sat in silence, weeping softly. Boromir was restraining Gimli while Legolas had to stop Willow from losing control again and going back inside the mine just to gain revenge. He just held her, stroking her back as she cried for the loss of one she considered from her own kind. Wizard and witch. Both magical beings... just like Elves.  
  
Keeping his cool, Aragorn took control of the fallen apart fellowship. "Legolas, Gimli, Boromir, help them up."  
  
The other man didn't see it that way. "Give them some time to grieve for pity's sake."  
  
"We don't have time to grieve!" Aragorn yelled. "As soon as darkness falls, the hills are full of Orcs. We have to gain the Lothlorien woods before nightfalls."  
  
Once again, they all returned back to their quest, putting back their needs and pushing their emotions deep in the back of their mind. The redhead was having a hard time controlling herself, if the black eyes were any indication. She knew she would be exhausted that evening, but she was too tired too fight back the energy.   
  
Three hours after, they were crossing the edge of Lothlorien woods. They walked silently, except for Gimli who kept telling the Hobbits that an elvish sorceress lived in that forest. He was so busy talking that he didn't notice the arrow aimed at him until he was nose to nose with it.   
  
A group of Elves were aiming arrows at the entire fellowship and Legolas was doing the same with them. One of the Elves that aimed at Legolas yelped and droped his bow when a small bolt of energy zapped him. His eyes widened when he saw two black eyes fixed on him. Aragorn saw that the witch was about to snap. Right now, only her instinct were on and someone had threatened the man she loved with an arrow. "Willow," he commanded. She let her gaze fall down and she got closer to the only Elf of the fellowship.   
  
After that little meeting with Haldir of Lorien, they were lead to an entire city build up in trees. They had been told that Celeborn and Galadriel, the masters of the city, were waiting for them. They walked up stairs for what seemed like an eternity. At the end of it, two Elves were there. Their skin reflected moonlight, just like Legolas in this place devoid of evilness. To Aragorn's surprise, the redhead seemed to glow as well, but her powers were still near the surface. [That's probably the reason.]  
  
Celeborn was the first to speak. "Ten left Rivendell but you are only nine. Tell me, where is Gandalf because I'd like to speak with him."  
  
Galadriel looked deep in Aragorn's eyes. "He's fallen into shadows." She had put her finger on the still opened injury. She let her gaze fall on Boromir and he shivered, breathing heavily as if he was under pressure. Willow frowned upon seeing him and felt Galadriel's gaze on her. She felt herself being sucked in her blue eyes. [It wasn't your fault,] she heard the Elf say in her mind. [You couldn't have done anything except jump and die.] The redhead sucked in a breath and Legolas caught her when she fell down. When she looked up again, her eyes were teary... and green. Galadriel smiled. "Tonight, your will rest in peace."  
  
* * *  
  
Legolas walked with Willow under the trees of the Lothlorien woods. She heard a soft melodic voice in the air.   
Mithrandir, Mithrandir, A Randir Vithren  
u-reniathach i amar galen  
  
"What is it?" she asked, gently.  
  
Surprised, the Elf looked down at her. "You can hear it?" She nodded.   
  
I reniad lin ne mor, nuithannen  
In gwidh ristennin, i fae narchannen  
  
"It's a lament for Gandalf," he said softly, knowing the subject of the wizard was painful for her as well as for him. The prospect of eternal life was great. Good memories seemed recent even when they happened years ago, but it was also the same thing for painful memories.  
  
I lach Anor ed ardhon gwannen  
Caled veleg, ethuiannen.  
  
Willow bit her lips. "Thanks for being there, Legolas." Her green eyes met his blue ones in perfect comprehension. The connection was now far too great between the two of them to try and deny it. "I'm not a normal witch, am I?" she asked the Elf.  
  
He sighed. "I don't think so. You don't act as a human with powers and your senses are much more developped than a mortal woman." They changed direction, heading back to the city of Lorien. He was quite curious and had the intention to have a talk with Galadriel, the elvish sorceress, one of the oldest of his kind. He wanted to know, *needed* to know. The redhead was something he had never seen in all his lifetime. It seemed she was a mix of human, Wizard and Elf. Maybe she was the only of a kind and that it was for that reason that she couldn't go back home... because she didn't have one! "Willow," he started. "In the mine earlier, you said the name Buffy. Who is she?"  
  
The witch froze. [Great. I lose control one minute and there I go and say what I shouldn't.] She sighed. "She's a friend. She's... special. She is the one that taught me to fight." He cocked is head, looking at her stangely. "What?"  
  
"Was she the one that protected you when you were going after... whatever you were going after?"  
  
Willow's eyes widened. "What *exactly* did I tell everyone in the mine?" she asked, suddenly feeling guilty for losing control.  
  
"You said that you had seen much bigger opponants than Orcs and Trolls, but that Buffy had always been able to defeat them because she was stronger."   
  
She groaned miserably, pleading him with her eyes to let the subject go. "All the answers are not good to know, Legolas. You might not like what I would be telling you and I don't want to risk it."  
  
He put his finger under her chin and lifted up her head so he could look into her eyes. "Have faith in me, Willow," he whispered.  
  
"I... I can't tell you everything, at least not yet. But yes, she was the one who protected me when we were fighting demons." Legolas eyes widened. "Yes. Vampires, ghosts, mummies, giant snake and fear goddess. I saw it all and participated in their destruction."   
  
They came upon the resting place of the fellowship. The redhead turned toward the Elf. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm exhausted." She turned back, heading for her bed.  
  
"Willow," Legolas's voice stopped her. "It wasn't your fault you know. You couldn't have done anything."  
  
She smiled at him. "I know. The only thing I could have done would have been to jump and die." He gave her a quizzical look and she winked at him before going to bed.  
  
* * *  
  
"Galadriel."  
  
The elvish sorceress felt Legolas join her at the mirror. "Yes, Legolas Greenleaf? You wish to speak to me about the red haired witch." He nodded, not questioning how she knew it. "Follow your heart, prince of Mirkwood. Deep inside you, you feel what she really is."  
  
Legolas closed his eyes. He listened only to the melodic voice of Galadriel, letting her help him open the door to his own heart. Memories came back to him. She had stayed in the path made by Gandalf and Gimli in Caradhras pass, not taking the risk to walk on snow and she had heard Saruman's voice. She had been pulled by an invisble force to the door of the Moria and she had confessed that she felt bad underneath the earth, characteristic of most Elves. She had glowed in the moonlight the same way he had when entering the Lorien city and had heard Gandalf's lament even if they had been a great distance away from the main part of the city. Legolas' eyes opened wide when he realized what it was is heart knew, had known all that precious time. "She's an Elf," he whispered. "The last one born on this planet."  
  
Galadriel smiled and put her hand on the Elf's shoulder. "She is the last one of our kind, but Elves will born for a couple more centuries."   
  
Legolas frowned. "Then how could she be the last?" he asked, confused.  
  
"She told you some questions weren't always good to be answered." She moved away from him. "She is wise for one so young," she sighed. Suddenly, the air seemed to get colder around them. The elvish sorceress bent down and looked deep into the archer's blue eyes. "She thinks she is doing the right thing, but you *feel* the real reason why she doesn't give you free access to her mind. Don't let her go, Legolas. She's far to precious to lose." Galadriel left the Elf alone, letting him sit down and think about what she had told him.   
  
With a heavy sigh, the Elf sat down on a rock. He looked up, bathing in the stars and moon's lights. "She is scared," he whispered. 


	8. Vortex

They left Lothlorien wood the next day, a long way still before them. Before they left, Galadriel offered several gifts to the fellowship, capes with a metal leaf attached to it and boats, and gave each member a special present. Just before joining her friends to the boats, Willow was stopped by Galadriel. "Tell him the truth, Willow." The redhead's eyes widened. "I'm old and I have many powers. I know who you are Willow and I know you are wise, but don't wait too long or you might lose any chance to say it to him."  
  
Understanding, the witch nodded and ran down to the edge of the river, jumping in Gimli and Legolas' boat. [How did she knew?] She looked back at the Elf seated behind her and frowned. He was tense, so deep in his thoughts. Willow bit her lip. [Is it because of what I told him yesterday?]  
  
The day passed slowly, every member of the crew lost in thoughts. Some thought of Galadriel or Gandalf, others of home and two about eachother. [How can you tell someone who lived as a human all her life that she is an immortal and magical being, the last of a kind, even if I don't know how can that be?] Legolas asked himself. He was suddenly afraid of what the small redhead would do when she'd learn she was an Elf.  
  
During the afternoon, they came upon the Argonath, two statues sculpted in hills, ancient kings guarding the river. An hour later, the three boats accosted on the western shore of the river.   
  
Willow sat on a stone next to Gimli as he argued with Aragorn about the road they would take once in Mordor. The north road wasn't making him happy, not that going into the land of the dark lord would make anyone happy, no matter what road they took. She kept stealing glances at Legolas. He was looking deep into the woods, maybe seeing something she couldn't. But she knew it wasn't it. She felt it too. A dark presence was coming their way and quickly.  
  
Legolas took Aragorn's arm. "We should leave now."  
  
"No, we'll wait until nightfall then cross the river. Orcs are patrolling the eastern shore."  
  
"It's not the oriental side that worries me," he said quietly, seeking something in the dark forest. "There is a menace growing in my mind. Something's coming near. I can feel it."   
  
Willow quietly thought about her options and she was scared. She knew Galadriel was right. She had to tell Legolas the truth about her. The problem was that she didn't know how. So she went straight to the point. "Legolas." The Elf turned to her and she gestured to him to step away from the rest of the fellowship. When they were a couple of meters away, she stopped pulling him deeper in the trees. "I... I have to tell you something. Now, I'm not crazy, just listen. You were right when you said I was different. I'm very different. In fact, I'm not like anything in Middle-earth." She took a deep breath and continued. "You asked me some very personal things about my life, things I would have never said even to Gandalf. Only Galadriel knew." Legolas' face turned white. "I... I'm not from this world, Legolas or more precisely, not from this age."  
  
The Elf she loved just kept looking at her. "Willow," he sighed. "Just tell me. I'm completly lost."  
  
She looked deep into his eyes, afraid it would be the last time. "Come on, Legolas. Don't tell me you haven't notice how strange my clothes are, how different I am from any other women, human or else. Everything around me right now is a lost world. Maybe a part of Middle-earth lays somewhere in a museum as a relic from the dark ages. I've learn something during all those years fighting for good next to Buffy : everything is possible, especially on the Hellmouth. And when I say everything, that includes a witch going eight hundred years back in time when she steps in a temporal disturbance."  
  
Realization dawned on Legolas' face, suddenly understanding what she was trying to tell him. [She's from the futur!]   
  
But before he could speak, Merry's voice stopped him. "Where's Frodo?" the Hobbit asked. The ringbearer was gone...   
  
...as well as Boromir.   
  
They looked everywhere for the two of them and they all went in different ways. Willow suddenly heard swords colliding, sounds of a fight coming from up the hill. She ran as fast as she could and bumped in Legolas and Gimli on her way up. The three of them finally got on top of the hill, jumping in the fight. Aragorn had already killed many of them. The Dwarf slaughtered the Orcs one by one with heavy hits of his axe while the much more gracious weapon of the Elf was nonetheless as dangerous when manipulated by the deadly archer.   
  
While fighting off an Orc, or more like taking revenge on him for Gandalf, the redhead noticed that Merry, Pippin and Sam had disappeared. They weren't with them. The she heard it : a horn. The sound resonated through the woods and they stopped the fight. "Gondor's horn," Legolas said.  
  
"Boromir!" Aragorn exclaimed. He started to run toward the sound, Gimli, Legolas and Willow on his tail. Soon, he was out of sight even for the Elf. Orcs standed in their way to help the two men and they slayed the disgusting creatures without batting an eye.   
  
But all their efforts were in vain. They were too late.  
  
They stumbled on a dying Boromir speaking softly to Aragorn. He had been shot with three arrows. The decapitated body of an enormous Orc lay not far from them. The sad face of an Elf looked at them and Gimli sighed, letting his axe fall on the ground. Willow shed a few tears while looking at the man that had did his best to protect Merry and Pippin.   
  
After mourning the man fallen in a vicious fight, they prepared to tell him goodbye, placing him in a boat and letting it free to go down the fall. Legolas pushed another boat to the edge of the river. "Hurry! Frodo and Sam are already on the oriental shore!" He frowned when he saw that Aragorn wasn't doing anything but stand there. "You are not going to follow them," he stated.  
  
"Frodo's faith isn't in our hands anymore."  
  
"Then we've done it all for nothing," Gimli said angrily. "The fellowship has failed."  
  
"Not if we stay true to each other," Aragorn replied. "We won't leave Merry and Pippin die awfully. We'll travel lightly : take only what is necessary. Lets go hunt some Orcs!"   
  
"I'm not going."  
  
Three heads turned toward the owner of the voice. Willow was looking the other side of the river, her back to them. Her hands were shaking slightly. The Elf was worried, especially after all she had told him. "Willow?" he asked.  
  
The redhead started sobbing. "Why?" she cried. "Why are they calling me back now?!" She turned around and looked into the Legolas' eyes. "I can feel it. They found a spell. They are trying to bring me back to the 21th century in Sunnydale." The Elf took her in his arms. "But I would prefer being stuck in Middle-earth when a war is brewing than being stuck on the Hellmouth without you," she said softly, crying.  
  
Beside them, Gimli and Aragorn watched in amazement as a swirling pool of light appeared behind the redhead. "Willow," Legolas started. "Wait for me. I'll come to you. Galadriel told me to keep an eye on you. You are the last of a kind, Willow."  
  
"What?" she asked incredulously.  
  
"The blood in your veins is the same as mine," he whispered, drawing her close. "You are an Elf, the last..." His sentence was cut short when the redhead cried out. The disturbance was pulling her inside, the spell almost finished. She grabbed tightly Legolas' hand, but the force of the swirling temporal fold was too strong.   
  
The last thing she heard was the sound of his voice calling to her.  
  
* * *  
  
"Willow!"  
  
The redhead laid still on the floor, trying to catch her breath. Someone was calling to her, a voice she hadn't heard in a long time. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Buffy standing over her with a big smile plastered on her face.   
  
"Giles! She's waking up!"   
  
Willow winced at the loud voice, her ears highly sensitive. She was confused, totally lost in the once familiar appartment of the watcher. She startled when Xander jumped on her and took her in his arms, the slayer joining them in their embrace. The redhead saw the old man standing before her, looking happy.   
  
On the stairs, Spike was sitting quietly for once and he stared at her. He was the only one to notice that she wasn't responding to her friends' affection. Willow Rosenberg didn't respond to the love of friends she had not seen in over one month. He moved quickly when he saw her fall down and he caught her in mid air.  
  
The slayerettes watched wide eyes open as the redhead sobbed wildly in the vampire's arms. "I couldn't even tell him!" she cried.  
  
"Who, pet?"  
  
[Tell him the truth, Willow.] The voice seemed to have owned to someone from a dream, a fantasy world, but Willow remembered every word she was told that morning. [I know who you are Willow and I know you are wise, but don't wait too long or you might lose any chance to say it to him.] She clutched to Spike's arm as memories overloaded her brain. "I was too late! I couldn't tell him!" she cried.  
  
Her friends positively started panicking when she started yelling. "Hlasta! Qyetes hfirimain!" Then she started repeating the same words over and over again. "In gwidh ristennin, i fae narchannen!"   
  
Every words coming out of her mouth didn't made any sense to them, but the watcher's eyes widened as the same time Spike's did. "Listen - it speaks to those who were not born to die," Giles whispered. The slayerettes listened as he translated a part of what the redhead was yelling.  
  
Spike continued where the watched had left it. "The bonds cut, the spirit broken." He looked up at the older man. "We were wrong to bring her back, Watcher."   
  
"How can you say that?!" Xander cried angrily.   
  
"Legolas!" Willow screamed. They all startled except Spike.  
  
The vampire looked deep into the teen's eyes. "Because we've broken the bond between two of those who were not born to die." 


	9. Sing a Song

Willow stared straight ahead of her, lost in thoughts her friends would pay a high price to know. She had been back for two weeks and had not spoken a word since then. The slayerettes did not understand what was happening with her despite all Spike had told them. Giles didn't know what to think. He wasn't sure of anything.   
  
But the vampire was. The redhead was speaking a dead language, which had once been spoken by the magical beings populating woods, then had disappeared. Those were the same creatures that were in the legends his parents told him when he was little, when people still remembered the long lost stories, even if they were considered as mythes.   
  
When he had open the blinds that night, he had been startled when the slight sleeping witch had glowed in the moonlight. All the slayerettes had stepped back. It was at that moment that all his theories were proved.   
  
Willow was an Elf.  
  
The redhead sighed, completly bored. The loud music blasting in the Bronze were not cheering her up as it had always done in the past. Only elvish songs would give her hope, happyness, love. She remembered well the only night she had spent in Rivendell, listening at the melodic voices and singing with the Elves... her people. She ached to sing again, even if she had to in english. Tales of Middle-earth were sang in common language.   
  
But even singing could not fill the empty hole in her heart. Still, it could help her a little.   
  
Before the slayerettes could do anything to stop her, Willow had stood up and walked to the stage, already taking the place of the last singer. Buffy was ready to go up there and pull her back to the table, but Spike stopped her. "Let her. Elves speak their pain through music and I'm not talking about the crap all of you, me included, listen to. I've heard an Elf sing before. She won't use the language of her people, but soon, you'll understand what *real* music is. Believe me, you won't *ever* hear anything as enchanting."  
  
Willow breathed deeply.  
  
When the cold of Winter comes  
Starless night will cover day  
In the veiling of the sun  
We will walk in bitter rain  
  
But in dreams  
I can hear your name  
And in dreams  
We will meet again  
  
The blond vampire shot an angry look at the Slayer. There she was, telling to all her friends what wrong they had done, how she longed for her mate, for the Elf that had stolen her heart.  
  
When the seas and mountains fall  
And we come, to end of days  
In the dark I hear a call  
Calling me there  
I will go there  
And back again  
  
Numerous teens were still speachless, lost in the beauty of the redhead's voice and the song. [I should make her sing more often if it makes them shut up,] Spike thought with a devious grin. [Next time, I'll try to convince her to do it in elvish.]  
  
While walking back to the table, Willow once more got into unexpressive mode. She bacame mute again, sealing her lips thightly. She silently sat on her stool, not even glancing at her staring friends.  
  
"Willow, that was beautiful," Xander said in a calm voice. "I didn't know you could sing like that."  
  
"I did," Anya replied. "She's an Elf. Singing skill comes naturally to that race." The Slayerettes stared at her in surprise, but Spike chuckled. "What? I'm older than the bloodsucking blond. What did you expect? I've lived a long time with Elves. Quite an interesting species."  
  
The redhead kept quiet, just listening intently to all was said between her 21th century friends. Buffy didn't like it one little bit. "Will, you sang in front of the entire Bronze yet you haven't said one word to us. I demand that you speak." Willow's eyes narrowed at the Slayer's order, anger building in her. Her hands placed on her lap were slightly trembling.  
  
The vampire felt her losing control. "Shut up, Slayer. Singing is near enough to talking for her. Everything she will sing from now on or even every words of her earlier performance were expressing what she felt and was in a way directed to you. Her pain, her ache is only present because you brought her back in SunnyHell. Did it ever came into your mind that she might have build up another life wherever she went?"  
  
Ignoring is last comment, Buffy continued. "We don't know if she's an Elf. Maybe you're lying," she told the vampire. "After all, I've seen in one of Giles' book what Elves looks like and Willow doesn't have *any* characteristics similar to them."  
  
Anya sighed. She didn't know how someone so stupid could have survived being the slayer as long as she had. "Blond hair and blue eyes are *not* a physical trait of Elves. As for the pointy ears, Willow comes from a long line of half Elves if I'm right. Elvish blood flows strongly in her veins, but physical characteristics disapeared in her family, except for the skin." The ex-demon knew a lot about that dead race as it had been the only one that never asked for vengence. She had never been summoned by them so she held a great deal of respect for that particular species.  
  
"Maybe she has Elf blood, but she lives with us now. Her 'people' are dead. It's only a myth now."  
  
Frowning, the redhead went back in time in her memories. [Wait for me,] Legolas had said. [I'll come to you.] Tears filled Willow's eyes. He had promise he would survive and come to her. She would wait. She had forever now. And if he didn't find her, then she'd go and look for him even if she had to travel all around the world for a single clue. Her heart was still calling his name in agony. She needed him... soon.   
  
Getting bored with the conversation, Willow suddenly stood up, grabbed the grey cape she always kept with her and left the Bronze in a hurry. Instead of going back to the dorms where she was not comfortable at all, she headed to Sunnydale's woods. She ran as fast as she could, putting as much distance between her and the Slayerettes. Sleeping outside wasn't very bright on the Hellmouth, but the Elf had no intention to stay on the ground. She quickly climbed up a tree and sat down on a high branch. She laid back on the trunk and closed her eyes.  
  
Far away, she could hear the Slayer's voice calling her name. Willow knew Spike and Anya could find her easily, but they hadn't said a word to Buffy or she would have already been patrolling the woods.   
  
The redhead breathed deeply, still not used to polluted air that surrounded Sunnydale, even when she was in the woods. Sleepyness crept up to her and she fell quickly in the world of dreams. 


	10. Needs

"Where could she be?" the Slayer yelled.  
  
The Watcher sighed. "I don't know Buffy. She's very different from the Willow we knew. She grew up when going back in time and learned she was an Elf. She built herself a new life and fell in love with one of her kind. Then we brought her back in a now unfamiliar world to her. And she feels lonely. Her mate isn't by her side and that hurts her more than anything." He sat down and sipped his tea. "The best we can do is wait for her to come back to us."  
  
"Wait?"  
  
"Yes, wait," Xander said. "Willow needs time." He knew well the young woman even if she had changed. The redhead was intelligent and if she needed help from them, she wouldn't be afraid to ask for it.  
  
"We can't wait, Xand," Buffy replied. "She's like a wild animal. She sleeps... somewhere, still goes on with that grey cape, eats who knows what and I don't think she's changed her clothes once. She still wears those damn leather pants and that black medieval shirt."  
  
"So what?" Spike asked. "I've been wearing the same clothes for about seven years." The Slayer made a disgusted face. "And if you had been living for a month in 13th century, you would have known you can't change clothes every day. You wear them for years until they are so worn-out, you can't fix them anymore."  
  
"Wait," Anya said quickly. "When did we start talking about clothes wearing in 13th century instead of Willow?"  
  
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, the door opened and a redhead stepped in the magic shop. She crossed the place without giving the Slayerettes a single look and sat down heavily on a chair. She was twitching, hoping for a good fight. A spot of violence had become like routine for her. She was tense and needed to kill something.  
  
Anya stepped next to the blond vampire. "I think we should head to the nearest cemetary," she whispered in his ear. "Look at her. She wants to fight." She turned back to Xander. "Lets patrol! You are always horny after staking vampires."  
  
The vampire laughed and the young man turned beat red. He took his girlfriend's arm and pulled her outside, giving her a stake. Spike pulled Willow on her feet and they followed the couple. The Slayer just stayed there, completly stunned.  
  
The small group didn't have to wait a long time before they came across fighting material. They had barely came in the nearest cemetary that five vampires had blocked their path. They soon learned that what they took as easy lunch was in fact a military trained human, an ex-demon, William the Bloody and a powerful witch. The slight redhead was the first one to attack them. She took two at the time while the other took care of the three others. She easily dodged each punch and kick they did, laughing at the poor fledgings. She almost felt sorry for them... almost.  
  
She quickly staked the first one, but the other was much more stronger. He was definitly the leader of the group, a position he'd regret soon enough. Willow kicked him and fell back on her feet gracefully.   
  
The Slayerettes had just finished up their vampires and they were looking at the show ahead of them. Xander's eyes widened when the witch was thrown on the ground. The vampire jumped on her and the young man was ready to help his childhood friend, but a solid hand stopped him. Surprised, he look into Anya's eyes and she stared back at him seriously. He understood it was one of the moment she rarely let the others saw, meaning she was acting as a thousand years old woman and not a sex-crazed, money-liking, childish ex-demon. He was staring straight into the eyes of the real Anya, the one he had fallen in love with. Xander turned back to the fight in front of him and stood still.  
  
Willow growled low in her throat and the minion startled upon hearing the feral reaction of the witch. The distraction gave her the time needed to pick up the hidden elvish sword in the side of her knee lengh boot. The vampire howled in pain when it connected with his leg. He stood up slowly and groaned when he took it out. Looking up, he froze at the sight of two black eyes fixed on him. He dropped the weapon and ran in the opposite direction.  
  
Spike, Xander and Anya watched in awe as the redhead picked up her short sword at a surprising rapidity and broke into a run behind the scared minion. Even his vampiric speed could not outclass elvish agility and speed. Only a couple of seconds later, the two of them were fighting again. But the minion made a bad move. He tried to move past the small woman. She spinned on herself and in one quick movement, cut off his head. She smiled as ashes fell on the perfect green grass. She turned back and joined the other Slayerettes standing apart.  
  
Her survival instinct had kicked in at the moment the battle had started. Adrenaline rush had given Willow the boost she needed to be a little more like she was before leaving Middle-earth. She would have liked to hunt Orcs with Gimli, Legolas and Aragorn. She would have liked to save Merry and Pippin. She would have liked to know all their efforts were not in vain, that Sam and Frodo did got on Mountain Doom and destroyed the ring. She would have liked to say goodbye to Galadriel and sing in Rivendell's fire room once again. But all those things had been denied to her when her friends from the futur had did what they thought best for her.   
  
But when she had killed those vampires, all the memories came back to her like a tidal wave. Memories of fighting side by side with members of the fellowship. In a instant, she knew what she needed to do. Her place was by their side.   
  
She had to go back.  
  
* * *  
  
"Where's Willow?"  
  
Anya sighed, quickly losing patience. The blond Slayer was seriously getting on her nerves. She was one step from slugging her good. "She went home to sleep."  
  
"You do realize that her *home* is a tree in Sunnydale's woods, don't you?" Buffy asked. The Slayer had finally learned where the redhead was sleeping after threatening Spike to cut off his blood supplies. She had chased the witch in the woods for five hours straight before giving up. Willow had spend months living in forests and she knew how to get scarce when wanted. After only two weeks spent on the Hellmouth, she knew the woods like her own pocket. The Slayer could search all she wanted, she never found her resting place.  
  
"Yeah I do realize she lives in a tree. So what? So does birds and they don't seem to dislike it." Anya answered back, smirking.  
  
Giles shook his head as the two girls continued to argue. He was getting tired of this story. He didn't understand why Buffy had to put her nose in everythings the witch did. She was more smart than any of them, especially after spending a month and a half in 13th century.  
  
The Watcher froze when he saw that the stair leading on the upstair part of the store had been touched. He started going up. What he saw made his blood turn cold. A black magic book was open on a time travelling spell, the inversed one they had used to bring Willow back in his appartment. Bottles and other spell ingredients laid scattered around the place. Giles cursed and the Slayerettes heard it. When the Watcher cursed, it meant bad things. They took two steps at the time. Upstair, Giles laid in the middle of the place. "Giles, what is it?" Buffy asked.  
  
Spike's eyes swept over the ground. "Good God, she did it," he whispered dreadfully.  
  
Anya looked up at him. She held out a piece of paper she had find on the ground and read it outloud.   
  
In the dark I hear a call  
Calling me there  
I will go there  
And back again  
  
The ex-demon exchanged a glance with the bleached vampire. "She was called here. She went back. She went there again to find her heart. The bond is no longer broken." 


	11. One for All & All for One

Crouching in a bush, Willow waited patiently and was soon rewarded. In front of her, a small army passed, heading to what she had learned was the road of the dead. She first recognize Aragorn leading the men towards it. A bit behind him, Legolas and Gimli followed on their horse. She stopped breathing and her heart jumped.  
  
Three days ago, she had travel back in space and time. She had found a spell in one of Giles' book. They must have found out what she had done by now and she just hoped they wouldn't try to bring her back in Sunnydale.   
  
Upon arriving in Middle-earth, she had stolen a horse in a deserted farm. There were no doubts to Willow that Mordor's army was closer to Gondor than they had thought in the fellowship. She had tracked down the entire crew only to find two different path at one point. The smallest part of the group had headed to the road of the dead. And so there she was.  
  
When the Rangers were far enough, she got on her black horse and followed them slowly, hoping no one would hear her. She saw the men tense as they entered the road. Her senses had developped while away from Middle-earth. She had explored her possibilities after Legolas had told her she was an Elf. She always had better hearing than others, but now there was also sight, agility and magical powers. She could actually *feel* everything living around her. But right now, living dead was the most accurate word.  
  
Mist covered the entire ground. She could feel spirits floating around, but they didn't scared her. Elves weren't concerned by restless human spirits so they left her alone. Maybe because she was an Elf... or maybe because they knew she was a witch and could do real damage to them if she wanted.   
  
For the entire day, she followed the Rangers. Willow had done her best to keep the dead away, but she couldn't look everywhere at the same time. While she was not looking, some spirits took possession of five men. She couldn't save them anymore. Her main concern was getting Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas safe out of this damned road.   
  
At dusk, the company broke into a wild run. Darkness was coming fast and they had to get out of the road. Their lives would be the price to pay if they weren't out of it soon. The horses galloped at high speed, Willow following them, her grey cloak hit by the wind. She felt the spirits closing on the Rangers and her dear friends. "Restless spirits, hear my words," she whispered. The dead ones slowed down. "I command thee, let those warriors in peace. Join the wise. Let their journey be as they ride against the dark lord. Be with them. Help them." The ghosts stopped completly, pulled between the need to do what they wanted and what the witch asked them to. "As I will it, so mote it be," she said forcefully.  
  
Legolas cocked his head to the side. He turned his head around, but saw nothing but mist and shadows. He had been so sure to hear a voice behind them. But he knew better. Even after only two weeks being away from the redhead, he couldn't think of nothing else but her. Sometimes, he was so sure to see red hair not far from him or he thought he heard her voice. But eight hundreds years and an ocean separated them. It was getting harder and harder to be away from his heart. [I have to survive this battle,] he reminded himself. He had promised he would for her. He'd do his best to be faithfull to his promess.  
  
Not far behind, a cloaked figure stood on a hill hiden in the shadows. A tear fell down Willow's cheek as she watched Legolas ride away. She missed him so much... But she had to be strong. She had to wait a bit longer. The element of surprise she brought with her could help the allies against Mordor's armies. Not wanting to lose them out of sight, she got back on her horse and it galloped as fast as it could to join the men.  
  
* * *  
  
"What is it, Legolas?"  
  
The Elf glanced at Gimli seated beside him. "There is someone in the woods who's following our boats."  
  
"Is it an Orc?"  
  
"I don't think so. Orcs never go into forests alone." He examined the shore, trying to see a figure between the trees. "The presence is not threatening. It could only be one of those wild men." He sighed.  
  
The Dwarf could feel the sadness pouring out of his surprising new friend. "I miss her too," he said with a smile. "Remember when she used to laugh at us both when we were bickering like two children?" He chuckled lightly. "I can almost remember exactly all the moves she made when kicking Boromir's ass near Caradhras pass. She was one strange girl." Gimli was quite proud of himself. He had finally made the Elf smile. Not once had he done it in two weeks, except when they had found Merry and Pippin dining in peace at the front door of Isengard, of all places.  
  
"Thanks, Gimli. I needed that."  
  
"Everytime you need it, just ask."  
  
The Elf turned back to his observation of the shore. He had found an amazing friend in the grumpy Dwarf. He was glad that he was with him, especially when the one he wanted the most couldn't.   
  
From the cover of the trees, two green eyes followed his every movement. Her horse was advancing slowly, at the speed of the boat. The redhead was wondering about what the blond Elf thought about. He seemed lost in his own world. Was he thinking of her as much as she thought of him? Of course, her mind turned sometimes toward the futur where the Slayerettes were. She already missed Spike and Anya, the only two who had understood her and her muteness and her pain. They had been the only ones who knew almost everything about her people. She missed the others too, but Spike and Anya had been the greatess help she could have found on the Hellmouth.  
  
The redhead looked up at the dark sky. At first, she had been surprised when dawn never came. But darkness came with Mordor's armies. The war had already begun in Gondor. She only hoped they were not too late.  
  
Finally tired, the witch jumped down her horse and climbed up a tree, ready to take a couple of hours sleep, even if she had to ride at high speed to regain the distance between herself and the boats.  
  
Five hours later, Willow was already back on the road. She immediatly got her black horse to gallop, going as fast as he could. "Norolim, Will-o'-the-wisp. Norolim." She had been startled by the name given to the horse. Never before would she have thought someone would name his horse Will-o'-the-wisp. She liked it.  
  
The horse gained so much speed, that the redhead could already see the boats only two hours after leaving her resting place. She was hungry, but didn't want to lose the Rangers out of sight a second time. They were too close to Gondor's city. She'd eat when they'd stop.   
  
Suddenly, she could hear battle sounds. She was near, very near of the battlefield. She saw the boats coming alongside, the Rangers jumping on the shore, their horses following. The men rode to the fight, scaring the Orcs away. Willow waited patiently on the edge of the forest. She'd come out if her help was absolutly necessary. [No need to reveal my presence to the enemy this soon.] She'd just have to keep an eye on Gimli, Aragorn and most of all, Legolas.  
  
A sound brought her out of her own world. She looked into the darkness and what she saw made her froze. Two yellow eyes were watching her. "You' re not easy to catch, you know pet." Spike grinned wickedly at the mute redhead. "Lucky me, I've got the nose to go with that night vision advantage. And look! I've brought you company."  
  
Willow couldn't believe her eyes. Instead of forcing her to come to Sunnydale with a spell, they had all come to help her in the middle of the 13th century. Even the blond Slayer was there. She had finally listened to Spike and Anya when the redhead had disappeared a second time. Buffy understood the need Willow had. The one she loved was there and Middle-earth was beautiful... when it wasn't spoiled by the Orcs presence. They had come across a small group of those awful creatures when tracking down the witch. They were disgusting. She stepped forward and smiled. "Hi Will."  
  
Tears fell down the Elf's cheek. They had all come to help her, even Buffy. She jumped off of Will-o'-the-wisp and ran into the arms of the Slayer. She squeezed her hard. "I'm glad you came, Buffy," she whispered. The blond statled upon hearing her best friend's voice. Willow chuckled. "I can't be mute all the time, can I?"  
  
Xander took her in his arms. "Hey, Will. Glad to see you. We never thought we'd catch you. We took some horses on a deserted farm and we came as fast as we could. We even brought a surprise for you. Buffy was ok with it. It was her birthday present, but she agreed to lend it to you."   
  
One of the horses had a wood box on it's back. Her memories went back to Buffy 17th birthday. [Happy birthday, Buffy. I hope you like the color.] Only Xander could have said something like that about a rocket launcher. She grinned evilly. "Lets keep it in case the Ringwraiths give us too much trouble."  
  
"Ringwraiths?" Giles asked.  
  
"Nazguls," the redhead replied. She saw the Watcher's face paled. "I see you know what they are." He nodded. Her stomach growled and she winced. "What do you say we eat something. The fight has stopped for a short while." They all nodded in satisfaction and sat down to eat what Willow had brought in her bag. "Tonight, eat all you want and rest. It may be a while since we'll have the chance to do it again. Tomorrow, we are officially in war with Mordor." 


	12. Discoveries

"Aragorn! We can't hold them much longer!"  
  
Strider looked at Legolas. He no longer had arrows and he was keeping at bay as many Orcs he could with his elvish swords. Even Gimli was tired. There was too many Orcs and they had lost many men. He was quickly losing confidence.  
  
The day before, he had brought hope in Gondor when the boats had come alongside. The Rangers were great warriors, but not superhumans. Waves after waves of enemies hit them and they were fast losing control of the situation. The white tower would soon fall under the hands of Mordor.   
  
If it was only Orcs or Goblins, they maybe could have repulsed them away. But the Ringwraiths were too strong. One had been killed by Merry and the daughter of Rohan's king, but there were still eight alive... sort of. They weren't alive to begin with. That was the problem. Even Mithrandir couldn't fight them anymore. He had killed another one earlier this morning, but it had considerably weakened him. The white rider needed a moment to gain back his strenght.  
  
Hope was quickly fading in Gondor's fighters' hearts. They could see death coming their way. They would fight until they died to protect the white tower of Ecthelion.  
  
Suddenly, a part of the enemies camp exploded. Fire raged upon the Orcs. The battle stopped completly, Mordor's armies completly stunned. Something whistling passed over the battlefield and crashed down on the last line of awful creatures. Pieces of dead monsters flew in the air. Orcs screamed and looked around like possessed animals trying to locate the object of their destruction.  
  
Legolas turned around. At the edge of the forest, six riders waited. They looked human, but one. He had ridges all over his face, fangs and yellow eyes. There was another one he couldn't see. The rider was cloaked, staying anonymous for the moment. But the enigmatic rider was scaring the Orcs even more.  
  
One of the rider, a dark haired man, put something in a metal tube on his shoulder. Suddenly, a flying Nazgul was hit by a red object coming from the tube. He exploded imediatly. The Ringwraith froze. One of their own had been killed by something they did not understand. In an attempt for revenge, another flying Nazgul flew to the small group of mysterious riders. He knocked off the oldest, then jumped off the enormous bird to finish the rider off. But he never thought that one of them could stop him.   
  
A blond woman kicked him brutally and sent him flying back on a tree. Orcs and humans alike watched, surprised by what was happening not far from them. A small woman was fighting with a Ringwraith... and was winning. She reached for something behind her back. She was holding a small black object.   
  
"BANG!"  
  
The slave of Sauron fell on the ground, dead. He was no longer a living dead, but part of the community of spirits. The blond woman climbed back on her horse and waited.  
  
The reaction was imediate. The Orcs retreated back to the camp, in hope they could find a way to destroy the riders. Gondor's army walked back inside the city's limits. Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas followed Mithrandir inside the tower. In front of them stood the six riders. The *man* with blond hair no longer had ridges and yellow eyes, but the mysterious one was still cloaked in a grey cape.  
  
The Elf noticed the enygmatic rider step back upon seing the white rider. "Who are you?" Gandalf asked forcefully.  
  
Before one of them could answer, the cloaked rider grabbed the brunette woman's arms in a firm grip. The wizard waited patiently while the two riders spoke in hushed words. The woman frowned, then turned toward him. "If I'm correct, I'm speaking with a dead man."  
  
Gandalf grinned. "Even the dead can come back to the world of the living."  
  
The blond man stepped forward. "Who or what we are does not concern you. The only thing you need to no is that we are not foes and we brought weapons none of you have ever seen."  
  
"Speaking of weapons," Aragorn said. "I'd like to know what you used against the Ringwraith." The smallest rider produced a black object from behind her back and aimed it at the nearest wall. He startled when he heard a loud noise and a hole appeared in the wall. "You are right. I've never seen anything quite like that."  
  
Gandalf was looking thoughfully at the dark haired woman that had spoken to him. "Where have I seen you before?" he asked. He had a vague souvenir of her.   
  
She smiled. "You may have seen me in Bree about 20 years ago. I was going as Anyanka back then." The wizard froze and the woman laughed. "Don't worry. I was not summoned here. I won't wreck havoc on you."  
  
"How can we trust you if we don't know who you are or why you are here?" Gimli asked. "It's not as if anybody would go against Mordor for fun."  
  
"Revenge," the dark haired man said.  
  
Aragorn frowned. "Revenge against who? And for whom?"  
  
Anyanka stepped forward and looked deeply in Gandalf's eyes. "Revenge for a loved one killed in an attempt to escape the Orcs."  
  
The wizard was puzzled. Here was Anyanka, demon, allying with humans and another demon to gain vengence upon Mordor because of a loved one killed when escaping.... "Khazad-dum," he whispered. Gimli, Aragorn and Legolas startled. "How come you know all this?" Gandalf asked Anyanka.  
  
A soft feminine voice answered. "I lach Anor ed ardhon gwannen. Caled valeg, ethuiannen. The flame of Anor has left this world. A great light, has gone out."  
  
Legolas froze. He wasn't dreaming this time. He walked slowly to the cloaked figure. He now knew why the cape seemed familiar. It was the same as his, has Gimli's, as Aragorn's. It had been given by the Lady of Lorien when leaving Lothlorien woods. Legolas pushed the cloak back and stopped breathing.   
  
Aragorn gasped. "Willow!"  
  
The redhead crushed herself into Legolas's embrace. She was holding him for dear life as if she would fall if she let go. She smiled at him as a promise of a later talk. But right now, she had someone else to see. Gigling, she threw herself at Gandalf and the wizard laughed as he caught her. "It's so good to see you, Gandalf. I really thought you were dead."  
  
"And miss all the fun? I want my part of revenge against Mordor."  
  
Willow let go of him and ran to where Aragorn and Gimli still stood. She took their arms and pulled them behind her as she broke into a wild run to the chairs. "Come on!" she yelled to the others. "We have a war to organize!"  
  
Buffy looked at the vampire. "I'm sorry, Spike. You were right. We could have done anything for her in Sunnydale, I don't think we could have gotten her to be more happy." She looked at the blond Elf following the red haired one. "No, we couldn't have gotten her more happy," she sighed.  
  
* * *  
  
"Now, I know why I haven't seen weapons like those before," Aragorn said.  
  
They had sat down in a room and Giles had spent two hours explaining them the fact that they came from the futur, just like Willow. Spike had assured them he wouldn't try to suck their blood and Anya had explained to Gandalf that she was no longer a vengence demon, but a fairly normal mortal woman actually in love with what she had spent centuries to hurt and despise : a human male. The part of the fellowship was quite surprised when seeing what Buffy could do and imediatly recognized some of Willow's moves. They had before their eyes a small girl with a strenght impossible for them to achieve.  
  
While they all discussed about many subjects, Legolas held the redhead close to him. He wouldn't let her go anymore. He had no doubts about why she was back : he hadn't come to her in the futur. Either he was dead or he had been late and couldn't catch her before she did the spell to go back in time. "Willow," he whispered in her ear. "Come with me." They left the room in silence, leaving the others in their war reflexion.  
  
The two Elves left the white tower and quickly walked to the sanitarium's garden. "What is it, Legolas?" the redhead asked in elvish.  
  
"I know why you came back. I'm sorry I couldn't keep faithful to my promess." He stroke her cheek and smiled. "I can't believe I could miss you so much after only two weeks of being away."  
  
A tear fell down Willow's face. "I had that hole that ached in the middle of my heart. I couldn't stand it any longer. I *had* to come back. I didn't want to wait a bit more. Every cells of my body was calling to you," she sobbed.  
  
"It was our bond, Willow. An Elf knows when he finds the one, his true mate." Legolas stepped closer to her and looked deep into her eyes. "I have found her and *never* would I let her go." He bent down his head. "We are one of the same," he whispered. "I am immortal and so will you be when you accept every part of yourself. Be an Elf forever, Willow."  
  
The witch nodded mutely, still lost in the dream that was his voice. No sound in Middle-earth or any other places could compete with the melody that was his voice. Never would she hear something more beautiful than the accent of an Elf speaking or singing in his native language. Elvish was and always would be the language of every things pure, every beauty, every dreamworld. It was fast becoming a dead language, but not in the heart of those your remembered the time where Elves ruled in Middle-earth. Magical beings would always remember it and would use it until every living beings would cease to exist.  
  
"I don't want to leave you, Legolas. Not now, not tomorrow, never."  
  
Their lips met and the black clouds separated in greeting of the first kiss shared by two of those who were not born to die. The moonlight shone upon them, blessing their union. The redhead gasped as a surge of energy went through her. As the weird feeling passed, she felt it. She was no longer the last of a kind in a world where they couldn't be found, but an Elf and never would she be alone.   
  
From a high window in the tower of Ecthelion, Aragorn smiled to himself as he saw Willow glowing and he knew she would now always at nighttime. Elves were her soul and Legolas, her heart. No one would doubt her origins... Not that they would with the now pointy ends gracing her ears. 


	13. Through the Forest Once More

"I don't think we should go that near to Mordor."  
  
Willow sighed. "Xander, you've seen the force they have. We can't let them rest and then have another shot at us. We have to go on their territory and kick them while they are still down."  
  
"Will, I understand what you are saying. But what I'm trying to tell you is that I didn't bring with me an entire ship of ammunitions. I only have a couple of rockets left. There's no garanty we could fight the Ringwraiths without them. They won't come close to Buffy again. They know she have something that can kill them if they are near enough."   
  
"We have to take the chance," Aragorn said. "We won't have another shot at the Mordor's black gates. We have to go now." He looked at each of them and saw the serious look they shared. It was a difficult decision, especially when many may die.  
  
"I hope you are not planning to go without us."  
  
The redhead squealed and ran to the two Hobbits standing in the doorway. "Merry! Pippin! It's so good to see you!" She fell down on her knees and hugged them.  
  
Merry laughed. "I'm glad to see you, Willow. I was puzzled when you weren't with Legolas, Gimli and Aragorn when they came by Isengard. But I see you were on a personal quest and came back with... new attributes." He winked at her.  
  
The witch blushed and covered her ears. "Don't laugh," she warned. "I like them. They're cute," she gigled.  
  
"We will have time to talk about your ears later, Willow," Giles said in his fatherly voice.  
  
"Yes," Gandalf replied. "We have more important matters at hand."  
  
Buffy smiled conspiratorly. "Is it me or do I see some similarities between the old folks?" Spike bursted in laugher. He had to admit the Slayer was right... not that he would one day say it aloud. The wizard and the watcher were quite a match. One father for the fellowship, one for the Slayerettes. Buffy frowned while looking at the laughing vampire. [*This* is the Big Bad Scourge of Europe?!] She sighed. "Spike, stop it. You're red and you don't even need to breathe."  
  
Anya rolled her eyes. "And they say I'm childish."  
  
* * *  
  
"I can't believe you convinced me to go there," Xander muttered.   
  
"Oh admit it, Xand. You wouldn't let me go there alone, would you?" Anya asked sweetly. The man didn't have to answer. The smile on his face was enough for the ex-demon.  
  
What was left of the fellowship and the Slayerettes had left Gondor's city early in the morning with five thousand men. They were headed to the black gates of Mordor, planing on attacking the source of all evil. Aragorn was leading their army, Gandalf, Gimli, Willow and Legolas on his tail. The Slayerettes were not far behind, waiting for the redhead's order to go back and use the rocket launcher on everything moving with a black cloak on.  
  
Whispering voices could be heard by the two Elves. The red haired one smiled when hearing the men talk about her. She knew they might be quite puzzled by her sudden appearance and also a bit scared because of the display of power her and her friends had shown upon arriving on the battlefield the day before. She almost laughed when one of them even thought she was the sorceress from the Lothlorien woods. Willow was flattered to be close enough to Galadriel for the warriors.  
  
"Willow." A horse walked close to her. "Take this," Legolas said. He gave her a silver sword with beautiful engravings on it. It was a blessing in elvish. "I hide it in my boot. It was a gift from my mother before leaving Mirkwood for Rivendell. I want you to have it."  
  
"It's beautiful," she whispered. She put her hand in Legolas'. "Thanks."   
  
Looking down, the Elf frowned. "Willow, where did you get this?"  
  
On her index finger, she still wore her family crest. He was examining the silver ring attentivly. "It's my family crest. My grand mother gave it to me before she died when I was little. Why?"  
  
He looked deep into her green eyes, then shook his head. "It's probably nothing." They continued to ride in comfortable silence, enjoying the feeling of the other's hand, the closest contact they could have for the moment.   
  
When the sun left its place to the moon, Aragorn halted the army and the men quickly built a camp. Several small fires were burning with oranges flames through the entire camp. Spring was coming slowly, but it was still chilling at night. Spike was the only one who didn't need fire, mostly because he didn't have body heat. Willow and Legolas were leaving the fire, holding hands, going deep into the forest.   
  
Buffy blew on her cold fingers. "I don't know how they can still walk. My legs are frozen and I can't seem to think straight," she said while looking at the couple leaving the army for the intimacy of the woods. "What is it with Elves and trees anyway?"  
  
Spike chuckled lightly. "They don't really know it. Nobody does. They do it unconsciously. Right now, it is mostly 'what is it with Elves and seas anyway'. Their people are leaving Middle-earth on boats. Legends says there was a time when they were more than men. Things changed. Elvish blood is rare. Trees is a safe thing because it doesn't mean water. It is the only thing that links them on the continent in a way." Even with is better eyesight, he couldn't distinguish the two Elves quickly fading in darkness, swallowed by the mist surrounding the woods. He turned back and sat down with the rest of the Slayerettes in front of the fire. "Their race started in woods and they are still attached to forests. They feel safe."  
  
Gimli joined them. "You should have seen Legolas when we saw Fangorn for the first time. I never thought I would one day see him giddy." Then, he frowned. "But then, he saw the ocean." The Dwarf paused. "He won't forget it and one day, I have no doubts he and Willow will sail for the hidden island of Elves lost in the mist of the sea."  
  
Xander lowered his gaze and sighed. Anya glanced at him. Never before had she seen him this serious. She knew what was wrong. She felt that way too when thinking about it. She was fastly growing on the redhead and she was going to miss her. Xander lift up his head. "She won't be coming back with us," he stated, already resigned that his best friend wasn't going to step back into the portal. There was no way now that's she'd leave Legolas behind.  
  
"She won't."  
  
Behind them stood Gandalf. He had startled them with his deep voice. They hadn't heard him approaching the fire. "I talked to her last night after you all went to bed. She will stay in Middle-earth with us."  
  
"That is what I feared," Giles whispered. The small witch had been a great student, a wonderful *daughter* and an even better *mother* to the Slayerettes. She was the brain of their group and the most reasonable one. She had been the best teacher they could have found in civilities and human relationship... sounding weird seeing that she wasn't human at all. He smiled sadly. "We will miss her."   
  
* * *  
  
A rich laughing voice could be heard through the woods. "There is only you who could find a river in the middle of a dark misty forest at night."  
  
Legolas smiled. "That's why you love me."  
  
"That and a couple other things," Willow replied, eyeing him like a piece of sugar. "You are a delicious Elf, the most handsome one to my opinion." She grabbed his arm possessivly. "I think I'll keep you," she said in amusement. Then added, "But before, you should take a bath!" She pushed him over the edge and he fell heavily in the cold water.  
  
He had been at least two minutes under water and Willow began to worry. [What if he hurt his head? Oh my God!] She walked near the shore. "Legolas!" she cried, panicking. She screamed when an arm shot through the river and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her underneath the water.   
  
The moonlight gave her the chance to see blond hair floating. Bubbles got out of her mouth as she tried to laugh. Legolas and Willow surfaced. The redhead looked down at her soaked black shirt. "This scene looks familiar."  
  
"Gandalf is going to have our heads," he muttered. He looked up at the witch. "I like it when you glow in the moonlight."  
  
She smiled shyly. "I like your ears," she said in amusement. She pulled him down to her and kissed him. He hugged her closer. They wouldn't have much time left for this once they were close enough to the black gates, so they took their sweet time. Finally, Willow stepped back. "We should probably go back."  
  
The two Elves walked back to the camp, anticipating the speech the wizard would probably give them. They passed several fires, men looking at them in wonder. Two soaked Elves were not something you saw every day. Even Gandalf laughed outloud when he saw the lovebirds grinning wickedly.  
  
"You two are incorrigible! It's the second time you come back to me, soaked to the bones and trembling like leaves because you're cold!" He threw them the spare blankets and they wrapped them around their shoulders.   
  
When most of the Slayerettes were asleep, Legolas turned to Willow. "I love you," he whispered.  
  
The redhead snuggled closer to him. "Love you too. Good night, my dear elvish prince of Mirkwood." He chuckled and she smiled, almost imediatly falling asleep. 


	14. War, Sunnydale's Style

They waited.  
  
They had been waiting at the black gates for an hour and there was still no signs of the enemy. Xander couldn't stand still and Anya was trying to make him stop squirming on his horse. Gimli had jumped down Legolas' horse and was in an intensive working out session with Buffy. They were both *dying* to kill something, meaning many Orcs. Spike was starting to lose patience as well and joined the Dwarf and the Slayer.  
  
Suddenly, the doors opened a bit and a lonely figure stepped out of Mordor's border line. A man was riding toward them. Gandalf advanced a couple of steps before the company of Gondor and stepped right in front of their enemy. "Mordor demands that you go back to where you come from," he said forcefully. "Submit to us or die! You can't fight the dark Lord!"  
  
"Very original," Willow muttered. Then she talked a bit louder. "Did you came up with that yourself or is it a classic in the land of darkness?" She grinned evilly and many behind her snickered. She coughed nervously when the wizard shot her a look.  
  
"You won't laugh when we'll be finished with you," the warrior from Mordor said. "You will *beg* for death!" He got his sword out. "Humans from Gondor are fools!" He had a smug expression on his face, but it disappeared when his adversaries weren't cowering in fear... They were laughing their head off : the leader of the army, the old man, the Dwarf, the helpless redhead, the blond guy, even the two halflings. All of them. He was confused and anger blinded him. "What are you laughing at?!"  
  
Gandalf roared. "*You* are the fool! She'll beg for death when you are finished with her. What tells you'll be able to catch her?"  
  
The man from Mordor stepped back. The redhead's eyes were black and she was grinning evily at him. Wind seemed to be stronger around her and her hair flew in several directions. His black horse reered back and he yelled. "Kill them all!"  
  
The black gates opened and a thousand Orcs ran out of Mordor to greet those from Gondor. "Willow!" Anya yelled. "Make them step back a bit!"  
  
"I don't have enough strenght to hold off that many beasts! I can't do it alone!" the redhead yelled back. She startled when a hand touched hers. She looked into deep blue eyes. She smiled gently. "Thanks Legolas," she whispered.  
  
"You are not alone, Willow. I'll help you fight them off." The redhead felt the warm hand of Gandalf close on her and Legolas' joined hands.  
  
"And in memories of ancient times, we will unite again." Giles stepped in their circle and nodded at her.  
  
"So be it," she whispered. She closed her eyes and when she opened them again, little bolts of lightening seemed to flew over the blackness of the surface. "May our words be heard and our strenght felt through out the universes! Repulse those who are not welcome!" The Orcs stopped dead in their tracks when they felt the energy protecting the men from Gondor. "Death to all the trepassers!" she screamed.  
  
Aragorn didn't know what the witch had done, but he was glad. His men had been quite surprised when the army of Orcs stepped out from behind the black gates. But the spell provided the needed distraction to get into gear. They had a war to win.  
  
The two armies throught themselves at each other, the power of the spell dissipating. Gandalf took out his sword and kept his magical stick close. Giles grabbed an axe on his horse's package and took off his jacket. The wizard was quite surprised to see a totally different man beside him, but the teens living with him didn't seemed to notice... or they did and were glad to have a man of power, knowledge and strenght.  
  
Xander grinned wildly. "Go G-man! Show them who you really are, Ripper!"  
  
Arrows flew over their heads. The archers of the tower of Ecthelion were already doing their share of the job. Legolas joined them, keeping his knive close in case he needed it. Not far from him was Willow, silver elvish sword in hand and scaring off her opponents with her black eyes.   
  
Buffy was doing great. She was standing back to back with Spike and they retaliated to Orcs attacking them with deadly precision. The Slayer and William the Bloody had never felt more connected than at that moment. They were both warriors for the good side, the one that would provide a balance between darkness and light.   
  
Suddenly, a shrill scream chilled them all to the bones. Orcs yelled in a happy way and that made them all nervous... except for the fellowship. They knew what was coming their way at a high rapidity. They knew what was hidding in the shadows of the clouds above them. They knew what was going to fall on them... soon.  
  
Six giant birds could be seen coming right from Minas Morgul. There was no doubt : the Nazguls were taking an active part of the battle. Willow's superior sight told her they were in great danger and something had to be done. She kicked the Orc in front of her, thus making him fall. In one step, she had his neck between her feet and she twisted hard, breaking it like a twig. She turned around, searching for a familiar face.   
  
Xander was riding with Anya to the last line of men and jumped down of the horse as he stopped. He had seen the Ringwraiths coming their way and he didn't waste any time. He had called his girlfriend and they rode as fast as they could as far away of the battle as possible. He kicked open the wooden box and picked up the rocket launcher.   
  
"Three rockets left," Anya whispered.  
  
"Lets use them good then," Xander replied.   
  
Without wasting any time, the ex-demon picked up a rocket and put it in the launcher. She could feel the Ringwraiths closing in. Their darkness repulsed her and her heart was beating rapidly.  
  
When the first one came into view, Xander clicked on the red button. "Fore!" he yelled.   
  
Willow heard Xander's voice far away. [Fore? There's only him who could find humorous words in a situation like this.] She smiled to herself as she saw the rocket flew in the sky with a whistle. The substitute leader of the Ringwraiths didn't have time to register what was coming at him before he actually collided with the weapon. He exploded.  
  
"And the Xand-man score!" the dark haired boy yelled. "Xander : one! Nazguls : zero!" Anya recharged the rocket launcher. A couple of seconds later, the weapon was ready. But Xander pressed the red button before he had a clear view. The rocket passed right beside one of the flying Nazguls. "Damnit!" With great rapidity, the ex-demon got another rocket and soon, the young man was ready for another shot.  
  
The blond Elf looked at the couple far from the battlefield. "Come on. You can do it," he whispered, talking to himself. Hope took possession of his heart as another Ringwraith burst into flames. "Four left."   
  
But there were no more rockets left. With a cruelty and rapidity never seen before, the Nazguls fell on Gondor's men, bringing terror with them, leaving only death behind. Mordor was on its way to victory. But Aragorn was not going to let it take the white city while he was still alive. With a cry, he lifted up his sword and it illuminated. The Rohan's rider pushed back the Orcs with a new strenght. Waves of enemies were stepping back.   
  
But the sea can't be contain and the waves have a power of their own. The army of Mordor seemed to grew and the creatures under Sauron's power were growing in number. The black riders still continued to kill brutally everyone in their path.   
  
Legolas was doing his best to go back to Willow. He froze when he saw her sword fall on the ground and an Orc ready to finish her off. "Willow!" His eyes widened when he saw a flash of light as the sword fell on the redhead. He closed his hurted eyes. But when he opened them again, it wasn't the broken body of witch that greeted his sight.  
  
The redhead was looking fearfully at her hand. In front of her lay the burned body of the Orc. Legolas couldn't believe it. He had been right. It had been under his nose for a month and a half and he had only discovered it not an hour ago. She was the descendant of one of the Three.  
  
"Willow!" he yelled. He ran to her as fast as he could. "Willow! The ring!"   
  
The redhead heard him and turned around. "Legolas," she whispered. "I don't know what happened. I never saw him coming. And then, there was that bright flash of light coming from my ring. I don't know what happened," she cried. She was trembling from head to toes. She could barely contain herself.  
  
"Willow, you are the bearer of one of the Three, one of the ring of power given to the Elves. You are not the descendant of Galadriel or Elrond so you must be related to the lone Elf, the one that disappeared with the third ring of power. You can defeat the Nazguls. Just trust yourself and the power within you." Legolas kissed her hand and nodded to her. "You can do it. I believe in you," he whispered.   
  
Resolve face in place, Willow turned around, facing the battlefield. "Hlasta! Qyetes Hfirimain!" Most of the men and Orcs stopped dead in their tracks when they heard the powerful voice of the elvish witch. She stopped her gaze on the four Ringwraiths. "Listen! It speaks to those who were not born to die!" The black riders didn't know what to do. They were troubled by the redhead's presence. "Unfortunatly, you were born to die."   
  
They made their moves. In a second they were flying toward her, swords ready to strike and kill. But they didn't even made it to her.  
  
Willow lifted up her hand, ring glimering and visible to all. "As I will it so mote it be!" Black clouds gathered above her, dark clouds bearer of a storm. A violent storm. Lightening illuminated the sky and the earth shook under the thunder's force. Black eyes fixed themselves on the Nazguls. "Living dead, leave this place or stay dead forever!" They did not follow her advice and their unlives were the price to pay. Lightening fell on the flying black riders. They never put a foot on ground again.  
  
In panic, the Orcs started screaming. The stronger slaves of Sauron had been killed by a slip of a girl. Even the Ringwraiths had been no match for her. Merry looked at Pippin. "I knew she was powerful, but I didn't think it was enough to kill the Ringwraiths."   
  
Suddenly, the earth shook. A anguish scream came from deep within Mordor. Hot lava flew from Mountain doom. Far away, they could see the tower of Minas Morgul fall down. Everything was falling apart in the domain of the dark Lord. Gandalf smiled. "He's done it. Frodo destroyed the ring."   
  
Legolas and Willow heard his softly spoken words and they jumped into each others arms in happyness. "They did it! They did it!" The Orcs flew away followed by the human slaves of Sauron. Soon, everyone knew that the mission of the fellowship had been a success. Sam and Frodo had gone in the land of Mordor and had done what was meant to be.   
  
The ring of power was no longer. 


	15. Separations

"It is here that our roads go different ways," Frodo said.  
  
Willow hugged him tightly. "I'm going to miss you. All of you." The three other Hobbits jumped on her and she laughed. "I hope we will meet again, but I know that it might not be the case. Know that : you will always be my favourite Hobbits... and Bilbo too of course." She stepped back and got on her horse.  
  
"Goodbye Gandalf! Say hello to Tom for me!" Legolas said, waving to the wizard.  
  
The two Elves, the vampire and the Slayerettes headed east, going deep into the woods. "Where are we going?" Buffy asked the redhead.  
  
She smiled. "We are going to Rivendell, Buff. You are going to meet Lord Elrond, one of the oldest Elf in Middle-earth."  
  
"The new Gondor's queen father?" Anya asked. After winning the war, they had gone back to the white city. A celebration for Aragorn and Arwen's wedding had taken place in the beautiful garden of the sanitarium.  
  
A week after the ceremony, they all had to got back to their respective home. Frodo, Sam, Pippin and Merry had to go back in Hobbitton to put things back in place. Gimli wanted to see again the caves in Rohan. Gandalf had an appointment with Tom Bombadil. The Slayerettes had to go back in the futur. Willow and Legolas wanted to spend some time in Rivendell before going to Mirkwood, in the city of Thranduil. Spike had *begged* her to show the Slayerettes what was *real* music.  
  
"How long 'till we get there?" the vampire asked, bouncing on his horse excitingly.  
  
Xander frowned. "This is clearly disturbing. Spike acting like a giddy child on his first day of school."  
  
They rode slowly, taking their time. They no longer worried about being chased by Orcs or Ringwraiths. The ride through the forest was a real vacation in nature. None of the Slayerettes had ever seen so many trees. Willow breethed deeply. It was one of the things she had missed when brought back to Sunnydale a month before : the pure air. Everything was polluted in the 21st century.   
  
Two days later, they came upon a river. It wasn't very deep nor very large. They could easily cross it. The Elves smiled. They knew what they would see in about one hour. They were very near from Lord Elrond's city.   
  
They rode in silence, each of them lost in thoughts. The vampire was the most eager to see Rivendell. When he was a young lad, his mother had told him many stories about Elves, enchanted woods, wizards and vile creatures. He couldn't wait to see what was right and what was wrong. Spike was so excited, it took him a couple of minutes to notice they weren't moving anymore. He heard the Watcher gasp and he looked before him.  
  
Willow smiled. The city was just like in her memory. The white balconies, the green and golden leaves falling from the gigantic trees, the falls, the sun shimmering over the roof of the main room. It was exactly like she remembered. Nothing had changed. "Welcome to Rivendell, my friends."   
  
Elrond was waiting for them at the entrance of grey rocks. The redhead was the first one to get down the horse and in a moment, she was in the elder Elf's arms. He laughed, amused by the witch's antics. He shook Legolas' hand and gestured for the others to follow them. "I am Elrond, Lord of this city. I hope you'll enjoy your stay with us. Willow, someone can't wait to see you."  
  
In front of her, a small form got out from the room. "Bilbo!" she exclaimed.  
  
The old Hobbit grinned at her. "My sweet little redhead. And how was your adventure?" He saw the pointed ears. "Ah, quite different than you imagined I think," he said knowingly. He winked at Legolas. "Take care of her as if she was the last flower of Middle-earth. You are a lucky one."   
  
The blond Elf smiled. "Don't I know it."  
  
* * *  
  
A fire was roaring in the fireplace. Everyone was seated in the half circle facing the dancing flames. The only light came from the moon and the fire. Spike was smiling softly to himself, eyes closed and the demon in peace for the first time in years. The last time had been when he had heard a song in elvish.   
  
The humans hadn't stopped gaping for the last hour or so. They couldn't believe the vampire had been right when he had told them they knew nothing about real music. After listening to songs interpreted by other Elves of Rivendell, they asked Willow to sing something. The song at the Bronze had been beautiful, but had been in english. They wanted to hear something in elvish.  
  
Just like her first night in Rivendell, the redhead stood up and sang. Even Legolas was mesmerized by her voice. Every single Elf in the room couldn't leave the sight of the young elvish witch. Some were surprised to see her as one of their own, others knew what she was the first moment they had seen her all those weeks ago.   
  
The witch sat back down next to Legolas. "I love you, Willow," he whispered gently to her. "Come with me." Without protesting, she followed him as he guided her outside.  
  
Xander smiled through his tears. "Be happy, dear friend."  
  
* * *   
  
"You didn't have to leave this early."  
  
"We do, Will," Buffy said. "It's been almost three weeks. You more than anyone else knows we can't let the Hellmouth without surveillance for this long."   
  
The redhead sighed. "I know. I'm going to miss you all. I'll miss Anya's sex-talk, Xander's jokes, Giles' research party, going on patrol with you... I'll even miss Spike's threat... not that they were scary," she couldn't help hading.  
  
"Hey!" The vampire yelled.  
  
The Slayerettes laughed. Tears filled Willow's eyes. "No, Willow! Don't cry!" Xander hugged her tightly.   
  
Each after the other, the redhead embraced her friends from the futur. She even kissed Spike lightly in a thank you for supporting her back in Sunnydale. The vampire was left speachless. "Look out for me in the futur," she told the Scooby Gang. "One day, I might knock on your door."  
  
"We'll wait for your visit," Anya said, the voice heavy. "And don't forget to bring the elvish wonderboy with you."  
  
"I won't." Looking up, she saw the sun setting. "You should go. Night will soon fall." She followed them slowly as they walked to the edge of the wood. "Talking of the sun, how did you manage to get the bleached wonder to bath in it without bursting in flames?"  
  
Spike winked at her. "Isn't it you who said life wasn't worth it without a small touch of magic? Goodbye, Red."  
  
By the time she made it back to the main entrance, the Slayerettes had already disappeared, gone through the portal that would bring them back to good old SunnyHell. "Goodbye," she whispered. 


	16. To the Island We Shall Go

"You sure, Willow? If not, we can wait a bit longer."  
  
"I'm sure, Legolas. I don't have the desire to stay in Middle-earth any longer. The only thing I would have like to see again would have been the Lothlorien woods to speak with Galadriel and Celeborn. But you just told me that they are coming with us. There is no need now."  
  
"Then to the hidden island we shall go."  
  
Elrond had told the two lovers about his project of leaving Rivendell a month ago. Three years had passed since the battle in front of the black gates. Middle-earth was no longer a place for magical beings. Men were the lords of the lands now. Elves and Istaries (wizards) weren't in their place anymore on Middle-earth. They had to leave.  
  
It at already been prepared. As the once bearer of the ring, Frodo would join them as well as another Hobbit, Bilbo. Sam was married with Rosie and Merry and Pippin had to look out for all the Hobbit's cities. They had been named as their protectors.  
  
Of course, Gandalf was coming with them. An immortal wizard couldn't stay in Gondor to look over Aragorn's shoulder. Galadriel and Celeborn were also of the trip as well as their gardians, the Elves of Lorien. Legolas was quite happy to see Haldir again and Willow couldn't wait to see if the Elf that had threaten her lover with an arrow was still scared of her.   
  
"Have you made up your mind?"  
  
The redhead turned toward Elrond. "Yes. We are going."  
  
They left the following day. A group of fifteen Elves had been seen approaching Rivendell. There were no doubts that it was those from Lorien. They met with them in the woods and joined them silently in their ride to Belfalas Bay.   
  
Willow had a sad expression on her face. She had just left Rivendell, just like her old friends had done three years ago. She sometimes wondered what was happening back in Sunnydale. Was Buffy still an active Slayer? Did Xander finally married Anya? Had Giles retired from the Council? She guessed those questions will be answered if she made it to the 21st century.   
  
"Don't worry. They are doing fine."  
  
The witch startled upon hearing the soft voice next to her. Beside her, Galadriel was riding at the same pace as her. She was smiling softly. "You should warn me before going for a ride in my mind," the redhead muttered.   
  
The sorceress laughed softly. "I know. I scare people off when I read mind. I don't know why."  
  
"It gives a creepy feeling, that's all," she answered truthfully. In a way, she was glad that Galadriel understood her well, but it also gave her the creeps to know it was because she had taken a trip in her mind.   
  
Three days later, they came upon a group of Elves leaving Middle-earth. They joined them for the ride. Willow and Legolas were enjoying their company. They were travellers, moving through the woods and riding on the roads of Middle-earth. Every night, they sang softly around a roaring fire. For the blond Elf and the redhead, it was a familiar sight. Back in Mirkwood, they had spent many evenings outside listening to elvish songs. It was common to sing around a bonefire at the city of Thranduil.   
  
When Legolas' father left for the island, they came back to Rivendell. The city in the woods was a bit more quiet than before though. Many Elves were leaving for the sea. And now that they were the last of their people in Middle-earth, they were also leaving. It was their time.  
  
Near a river, they met with Sam and Frodo. The first Hobbit was quite surprised to see them all, but not Frodo. He had known that they were going, that they were leaving Middle-earth. He had been invited to take part of this trip, the final trip out of the continent. He was never to return in Hobbitton.   
  
When they arrived at Belfalas Bay, Gandalf was already waiting for them. A beautiful white and silver boat was floating. When they were all on board, they left the shore. Willow glanced for the last time at Middle-earth. The picture would never leave her mind.   
  
The mist surrounded the embarcation and they dissapeared from sight of everyone who could have been standing on the shore of Belfalas Bay.  
  
On the third night, the mist dissipated. They could clearly see the moon and the stars glimmering in the dark sky. Legolas was standing alone on the edge, looking as far as his sight would allow him. He cocked his head when he heard familiar footsteps behind him.  
  
Willow put her chin on his shoulder. "What are you thinking about?"  
  
"The sea. Ever since I heard the birds on the shore and saw the beautiful waters, it wouldn't leave my mind. You should have seen me when we were on the boats leading to the tower of Ecthelion for the big fight."  
  
"I did see you," the redhead answered. "I was there, riding on the shore, following you, waiting for the right moment to make my presence known."  
  
Legolas eyes widened. "It was you?! I did felt someone watching us, but I always thought it was one of the wildmen."  
  
She smiled. "See? Even after three years, I still manage to surprise you." They stood there for hours in each other's arms, just looking at the peacefull waters.  
  
Hidden in shadows, two Elves watched them. "Do you think she knows?"  
  
"No. Noone as seen him for over five hundred years. Nobody knows what happened to him. Not even us and this is saying alot."  
  
Celeborn watched Willow. "She has a lot to learn about herself... about her families' past."  
  
Galadriel smiled. "And *we* have a lot to learn about her past. The only thing that still keeps me completly in the dark is the lone Elf of the woods. I always thought he had been killed. Now, I'm not so sure. Either he is still alive somewhere or he found a woman before being killed and she gave birth to a child, wether Elf or half human."  
  
"Something tells me we are about to know."  
  
* * *  
  
"What the hell is happening?!" Willow yelled.  
  
"A storm! We are very close to the island!" Elrond yelled back.   
  
The redhead had awoken when the window of her cabin had literally exploded and a bucket full of salted water were dumped on her. Legolas wasn't by her side anymore, but she could hear him yelling to Haldir. She was wondering why everyone was talking so loud. She had her answer when she went up on the bridge.  
  
Heavy rain fell on them and everyone was already soaked. Lightening illuminated the sky and waves came crashing on the side of their boat. "The storm should calm down soon!" Gandalf yelled.   
  
The wizard was right. The storm was already calming down. The rain stopped completly and the dark clouds disappeared. Only the strong wind stayed, helping them to go faster. An hour later, the wind fell and they were surrounded once more by the fog.  
  
"I'd say we are very close," Willow said. "The fog is there for one reason and it is *not* getting on our nerves. There's a reason why it is called the *hidden* island."  
  
They waited patiently and they were soon rewarded. Frodo gasped. In front of them was a beautiful green land. Everything was glimmering in the sunlight. The city itself was made of silver and mithril. Small cascades could be seen from the shore and they had no doubt that the rivers lead to other ones. There was a forest behind the city, green and golden trees, some small, some gigantic. With their hightened sight, the Elves could see some of their own walking on the balconies.   
  
The island was bigger than Willow thought it would be. She could see more Elf from the boat than she had seen in her three years spent in Middle-earth. "It's beautiful," she whispered.  
  
Celeborn stepped closer to the edge of the boat. He had already seen it. He had been the only Elf in Middle-earth who had been to the island and had come back on the continent. "My friends, welcome to Nislynn, the last elven city." 


	17. The Lone Elf

"Willow, what is it?"  
  
The redhead frowned. She pointed the woods ahead. "I don't know, Legolas. I just feel weird. It's as if someone was watching me from over there."  
  
Two days ago, they had accosted on the shore of Nislynn. Some Elves were already waiting for them as if they had known they were coming. They greeted Celeborn first since they had already met him. Galadriel was the next. She was a legend in the elven community. The sorceress was well known. Elrond was also warmly greeted. Most of them knew him from a time or another, while the great battle against Mordor 3000 years before or on vacation spent in Rivendell. Just like Galadriel, he was also a legend for he was one of the three bearers of rings of power.  
  
The small group of Elves had lead them to the city of silver and mithril. Everything was splendid. Every eyes followed them. They were the last to cross the ocean. The Elves were quite surprised when they saw two Hobbits walk with them. As for Gandalf, they were quite pleased to see him. Most of them had met Mithrandir at a time or another.   
  
There had been a great party thrown for their arrival. Everyone had fun, even Bilbo who was starting to get too old for all this. Each of them had been given a welcome gift. Willow was smiling widely when a little girl slipped a mithril bracelet around her wrist... a little girl that could be older than her.  
  
She was happy on Nislynn. She loved the island and couldn't tire of exploring it with Legolas watching over her shoulder. But something was bothering her.  
  
Since their arrival, Willow had a weird feeling. The hair on the back of her neck would stand up. She was sure that someone was watching her. She didn't know who or what, but she could definitly feel it. The feeling would disappear for a couple of hours, then would come back to bother her.   
  
She sighed and leaned against the border of the balcony. "I just wish I knew who was down there." She smiled when she felt two strong arms encircle her waist.  
  
Legolas kissed the redhead's neck then bite it gently, smirking when she gasped. "Come with me," he whispered. He pulled her inside the room, her body willingly being guided. The blond Elf closed the double doors and led the unresisting flushed body of the witch to the bed.  
  
It was the birds singing that awoken Willow the next morning. She stretched in the bed, smiling softly, remembering the events of the night before. Legolas was already out of their bedroom and she pouted. [Well, so much for waking him up with a *surprise*.]   
  
Taking her sweet time, she got out of bed and washed her face with the fresh cold water in the bowl on the bed table. Something green caught her eyes and they widened. On the chair was a beautiful light green dress. Next to it was a piece of paper and Willow imediatly recognize Legolas' writting.  
  
Wear Me  
  
The redhead giggled and carefully picked it up. Her breath caught when she looked at herself in the mirror. Never had she wore something this beautiful. It looked perfect on her, matching the green of her eyes and her long red hair. "Thanks, Legolas," she whispered. "I'll have to thank you properly tonight."   
  
The witch almost ran to the door and she nearly killed Frodo when *jumping* down the stairs. "Sorry!" she yelled back at the surprised Hobbit. She bursted in the living room, making Elrond startle and spill his tea on himself. He glared at her when she laughed out loud. Galadriel hide her smile behind her hand.  
  
Haldir and Legolas came in at the moment a squealing redhead ran by them with Elrond close on her tail. Haldir turned toward the stunned Elf. "Is it me or did we just saw the Lord of Rivendell *run* after your mate?"  
  
Legolas nodded. "Yes. Lets go to information central, shall we?" He pulled Haldir behind him and crossed the living room to Celeborn and Galadriel playing checks. "Did we miss something?"  
  
Celeborn snorted. "Willow came running in and startled Elrond. He spilled his tea on himself." Finally, the sorceress gave up and bursted out laughing. Her mate lifted an eyebrow at her then looked at the two male Elves beside him. "I think she found it funny." Legolas rolled is eyes then took off to find his little redhead.   
  
While passing by the entrance to the garden, a hand suddenly shot out of the rock wall and grabbed him. "Come here," someone said at his side. He was pushed on the wall and he looked down at the grinning witch. "Hum, what shall I do with my prisoner?" She pulled his head down and kissed him hard. "That was for the dress," she whispered. She put her hand behind his neck and pulled him to her lips again.  
  
After several minutes, Legolas broke the kiss and breathed. "What was that one for?" he asked huskily.  
  
Light played in her green eyes. "Being mine," she answered. Smiling, the blond Elf bent down and took her lips again.  
  
* * *  
  
Elrond sighed and rubbed his nose, a move that brought back the memory of a librarian she had considered her father for many years. "Willow, you worry too much."  
  
"I. Don't. Like. It." The redhead crossed her arms over her chest and pouted while glaring at the older Elf. "You're all telling me it's nothing, but I know my senses are not going crazy. I can *feel* someone watching me." The feeling had not disappeared. It was still there and driving her crazy.   
  
"Willow, there is nothing in the woods except birds, some animals and the occasional Elves going in for a walk. Maybe you're just nervous because it's a new environnment for you."  
  
The redhead closed her eyes and screamed in rage. "Fine," she hissed. She stomped out of the room and went to the main entrance of the enormous mansion.   
  
She met Haldir on her way out and he quickly got out of her path. He knew not to be in her way when she was furious. Legolas had once told him a story when a servant had kissed him at his father's house and suddenly, a chair had slammed in the wall just beside them. The redhead was too far away to have been able to throw it that far, but he had seen the look she gave the servant. Her eyes were pitch black and he had known it was her magical power doing it. Seeing the redhead get out of the mansion, he ran up the stairs in search of Legolas. He bursted in his and the witch's room.   
  
Legolas looked up and frowned when he saw the look on Haldir's face. "What is it?"  
  
"Willow's on the war path."  
  
He jumped out of his chair and ran downstairs. "What happened?"  
  
"I don't know. I came in and I saw her stomping out the living room. Her eyes weren't green, if you know what I mean."  
  
Legolas fists clenched. "Elrond!" he roared. He came in the living room and walked straight to the older Elf. "What did you tell Willow? You almost had your head ripped off, by what Haldir told me."  
  
"I told her that there was nothing watching her. It might be just her imagination. Why? Where is she?"  
  
The blond Elf cursed loudly, causing the other men to look at him in surprise. "She's in the woods. She won't come back until she finds the truth. I'm going after her."   
  
At the same time, not too far away from the mansion, a small form with red hair was walking in the forest, talking to herself. "What does he know? He's never been on this island before. And it's not him who's being watched constantly. I'll show him who's right. His ego is going to take it," she muttered.  
  
Willow was determinated to fing out what was watching her. "It is *not* a fragment of my imagination, damn it!" She jumped over a roots and fell down gracefully on her feet. She sighed and looked at the sky. The moon was already high.  
  
Suddenly, she gasped as cold metal touched her neck. She stopped moving. Her hair at the base of her neck stood up and she knew it was *him*. "Who are you?"  
  
"An Elf that everyone forgot about."  
  
"Could you please get your sword away from under my chin? It's cold and I don't like to be threaten. It piss me off and you don't want to see me that way, believe me." She grinned evilly. Even if she couldn't see her attacker, she knew he could see her grin. Just the look on her face meant not to mess with her or fear for your life.   
  
"Not yet. Elves are deadly creatures when what they care for has been killed."  
  
"Uh?"  
  
"I gave this ring to my daughter of five years old seven years ago. The only way for you to have it would have been to kill her. Now, could you please tell me who you are before I slit your throat as an act of vengence for my daughter?"  
  
Willow gasped. "The lone Elf," she whispered. 


	18. Confusion

"You! You're the lone Elf! The third bearer of the Three!"  
  
"I *was* until I gave my ring to my only daughter. I doubt you are twelve years old so you are not Galia."  
  
Willow rolled her eyes. "Do I look like someone named Galia?" She quickly stepped back and pushed the sword away from her neck. "And I didn't steal her ring so fuck off!" she growled.  
  
Within a moment, the older Elf was attacking her. He imediatly drew blood. Willow cried in pain, holding her ribs. She fell on her knees and the Elf smiled in satisfaction. "I told you I could be deadly and I intend to finish you off after you tell me what you did to Galia."  
  
The wind grew stronger and the forest itself seemed to cry out in fear. The lone Elf looked around him and stopped when he saw the redhead. Slowly standind up, her black eyes were fixed on him, locking with her target. "I gave you the chance to back off," she said calmly. He voice was slightly different, like distortion. "You can't even conceive how deadly *I* can be when pissed!"   
  
"What are you?" the older Elf asked.  
  
"I'm a sorceress, an Elf, the last one, born in the 20th century, brought back in time by higher forces and reunited for the battle of a life time. I am the bearer of the third ring of power, the only one and the last that will ever be in my family line. I am Willow, the descendent of a line of power. And you know what? You almost killed your own as for my great grandmother was called Galia. Deal with it." The magical forces swirling around them suddenly stopped and she fell on her knees, groaning in pain.  
  
"Willow!" A blond Elf ran toward them and crouched down beside the redhead. He took her hands off her ribs and he frowned upon seeing the blood flowing freely from the wound. She cried out in pain when he took her in his arms. "Come on, Willow. We've got to get you back home."  
  
"Legolas," she whispered weakly.   
  
He suddenly saw the other Elf standing near, watching in awe the small redhead. He then noticed the sword with a bit of blood on the tip. His eyes narrowed and he was about to make a move toward him when a small hand reached his face and stroked his cheek.   
  
"Don't," she whispered. "Let it be." Willow looked at the older Elf with a forgiving look in her eyes. "Come with us." She hissed in pain and closed her eyes. She reached back and held on to Legolas. "Damn it! It hurts!"  
  
They ran quickly back to the mansion they were staying in and burst through the doors not five minutes later. Elrond and Haldir startled when not two, but three Elves came inside. The blond one saw the blood on Willow's dress. "What happened?"  
  
Legolas gently put the redhead on a couch and hissed when she groaned in pain. "I'm not sure. You better ask him," he answered, nodding toward the other Elf. The redhead tried to sit, but he pushed her back down. "Lay still," he ordered.  
  
"I love it when you take control," she grinned. She saw Elrond move toward her. "You owe me. I was right. Someone was watching me in the woods. Elrond, meet my ancestor, the third bearer of the elven rings." She laughed softly when she heard them all gasp at the news. She then hit her lover. "Come on, honey. I hurt here. It's time to do some hocus pocus I think."  
  
He nodded and then started the ritual he had well learned in Rivendell. He relaxed when he saw the wound start to close itself. He sighed when Willow stood up, apparently all healed. "You had me worried for a minute."  
  
"I know." She smiled. "I'll try not to do it too often."   
  
She tried to kiss him and she frowned when he held her. "Just a second, Willow. I have something that needs to be settled." He suddenly turned around and slammed his fist on the lone Elf jaw. "I don't know what your deal is, but I suggest you don't try that trick on my mate again."  
  
"Legolas, calm down! He thought I had killed his daughter. Remember, that ring isn't supposed to be mine for another 800 years. My great grandmother was his daughter."  
  
Elrond stepped closer to him. "So, you're the lone Elf."  
  
He rolled his eyes. "Why does everyone keep calling me that? I do have a name, you know."  
  
Haldir cocked his eyebrow. "Well, at least, now we know where your mate got that character. What *is* your name?"  
  
"Tirmindon," a voice answered. Everyone turned toward the redhead. "What? I've heard Galia talk about him once, just before she disappeared. Noone knows what happened to her." She yawned.  
  
"It's time for bed, I think," Legolas said. He took her hand within his and led her toward the stairs. Willow watched Tirmindon, her eyes telling him that they would discuss further the other day.   
  
When they came inside their room, the blond Elf closed the door and turned toward the redhead, a serious look on his face. "Willow, why didn't you tell me you were *that* disturbed by a presence watching you?"  
  
"Why didn't I.... what the hell are you talking about?!" she yelled. "I kept repeating to you, to Elrond, even to Celeborn for God's sake, that I felt someone following me. Did one of you listened? No!" She started walking around the room, her eyes turning black.   
  
Legolas watched her warily, scared that she was going to lose it this time. He had seen it twice, one time in Moria, an other in Mirkwood eleven months before. He did *not* want to see it again. It was dangerous for others as well as for her.  
  
"Stupid males," she muttered to herself. "If I had told Galadriel, I'm sure she would have believed me. Of course, males are always right. They didn't listen to Willow. Of course not! She's just a *young* *female* Elf. She can't be right. Yeah well, next time, maybe you'll listen to what I say. Freaks!" She picked up a chair and threw it over the balcony.  
  
"Willow, calm down," Legolas told her firmly. There was one way to calm her when her instincts were dominating her and it was to control them. "Come here," he ordered. She stepped in his arms and he stroked her hair gently. "I'm sorry, Willow," he whispered. "I should have believed you. Do you forgive me?" He felt her body relax against him. "I'm begging for forgiveness, Willow."  
  
She looked at him with dark green eyes. "You never have to beg me. Never." She kissed him. "You're forgiven." She hugged him tightly. "I love you, Legolas."  
  
He smiled. "I love you too." She yawned again and laughed softly. "You're exausted, Tasar. Go to sleep. I'll keep watch over you."  
  
She smiled upon hearing him call her Tasar. She liked it when he did. He used it only when they were alone. It was her name in Elvish. She slipped under the covers and snuggled in her pillow. "Goodnight, Legolas."  
  
"Goodnight, Willow." 


	19. Big Bad Istari

"Rise and shine!"  
  
Gandalf had been sleeping deeply when someone kicked the door of his room open and a red haired Elf jumped on his bed, yelling. He groaned. [Why me?]  
  
"Come on, Gandalf! You have to wake up! Saruman is here!"  
  
"What?! I'm awake!" He stopped when the redhead giggled. "Willow," he started. "He isn't here, is he?" She shook her head and he sighed. "Why do you need me?"  
  
"Oh! That's right! You weren't there last night. I had a run in with my ancestor *and* he tried to kill me because he thought I had killed his daughter and stole the ring from her. I have to meet him this morning, but I want big bad wizard with me." She smiled widely. "What do you say? Pretty please?!!!"  
  
"Oh alright!" He pushed the covers away and stood up, stretching a bit. He followed the small Elf burning with energy. [What I would give to be that young again.]   
  
Willow headed toward the lounge where was seated Tirmindon, waiting patiently for her. He was surprised when he saw the great wizard Mithrandir coming in behind the elven witch. He stood up to greet them and motioned for them to take a seat. "I believe you wished to discuss with me, but were you so worried about your health that you had the need to bring a wizard with you?"  
  
"Gandalf is my friend and a trusty one at that. He's there for moral support. It isn't every day that you meet your ancestor."  
  
"I agree."  
  
"Good. Then we understand eachother."  
  
"There is something I wanted to ask you. Last night, you told me Galia was your great grandmother. How can that be?"  
  
"She must have found her mate or something like that because she definitly inherited your longevity. I'm the only other one who has that character trait in the family. I got it when I accepted to stay in the 13th century with my mate who is currently sleeping upstairs."  
  
"Legolas," Tirmindon whispered. "I heard about him once. He was part of the fellowship protecting the bearer of the ring, the hobbit I've seen wandering on Nislynn. It was said that a great power surrounded him, protecting him. I've heard rumors about a great fight in the mines of Moria when that power manifested itself and *scared* an entire army of Orcs."  
  
Willow smiled at the memory. She had indeed frightened them with her black eyes and her ability to kill them without even approaching them. "I've witness the fight." She smiled when she saw understanding dawning on his face. "Yes. I was indeed part of the fellowship. As for the power surrounding Legolas and that is scary enough to make Orcs run away in fright, well... you've witnessed it last night."  
  
Suddenly, wind blew across the room and swirled around the redhead. Tirmindon knew that he could have been killed easily by the small woman in the woods of Nislynn. The nature itself listened to her and that was indeed a power to be afraid of when you were against it.   
  
"I have a question myself," Gandalf said. "Nobody heard from you for so many years and I doubt you were on Nislynn if you've heard about what was going on in Middle-earth. Where were you?"  
  
The Elf smiled criptic-ly. "I was hidding in the forbidden forest. Tom Bombadil offered me cover as long as I wanted. Noone ventured in those woods without getting killed."  
  
Willow covered a laugh, without much success and Gandalf grinned widely. "That again could be wrong. Frodo and three other hobbits did traveled in the forbidden woods and got out alive. They were lucky, but still..."   
  
From then on, they discussed various subject, including the adventures of the fellowship and Willow's life before being caught by the portal. It went on for a couple of hours before the redhead excused herself and climbed up the stairs to join her mate in their room.  
  
* * *  
  
The first thing Legolas was aware of when he woke up was the soft hand playing with his hair and the sent of green apple. He opened his eyes and his blue ones met a pair of green ones. "Wake up, sleepy head!" Willow gently nudged him and he groaned.  
  
"And here I was expecting to sleep until noon."  
  
Willow snorted. "Yeah, right. You *never* sleep 'till noon. You always wake up at sunrise or a couple of hours later if you're very tired, which was the case this morning."  
  
"Which brings me to the question what were you doing up this early? You never wake up at sunrise."  
  
"I had a chat with Tirmindon this morning. We needed to clear up some things. And before I hear you saying something like he could attack me again, I wasn't alone. I brought big bad Istari with me."  
  
Legolas laughed whole heartidly. "I bet he wasn't happy."  
  
She nodded. "He's definitly not a morning person. Who would have thought. Gandalf, the most powerful wizard on this planet, don't like to be awaken before nine o'clock."  
  
Legolas sighed and stretched in the bed, closing his eyes again and snuggling in the pillow. "Oh no, you don't," the redhead cried. "I'm hungry and I won't have breakfast without my mate by my side." She took the covers and pulled them off roughly from the groaning blond Elf. She pulled him up then let go of his hand. He flopped down on the mattress.  
  
Legolas started smiling when he didn't hear his mate any longer. [She must have decided to go eat even if I'm not there.] He gasped when a bucket full of cold water hit him in the face and he heard Willow giggle non-stop at his shocked expression. He grinned back at her. "You're going to pay for that, Tasar."  
  
Willow squealed when he jumped out of bed and she ran out of the room, bumping in Haldir at the bottom of the stairs.   
  
The protector of Lothlorien watched bemused as the redhead ran past him, then a blond head followed her, soaked and grining like a mad man. He shook his head. "I'll never understand these two." 


	20. Epilogue

And so, like in every good fairy tales, life went on, everybody happy. Celeborn and Galadriel were still watching over Nislynn and Elrond was as fair a ruler as he had been when Rivendell was the most spectacular city of Middle-Earth. Bilbo and Frodo were still enjoying the wonders of the island even after all that time spent on it. Gandalf and Tirmindon exchanged knowledges regularly and Haldir made it a daily ritual to point out any resemblance between Tirmindon and his descendant.  
  
As for Willow and Legolas, they couldn't be more happy. Everything was perfect... or so it seemed.  
  
To be perfectly honest, the two Elves had always been restless on Nislynn. Legolas had been an adventurous Elf for so long, it seemed impossible to live at peace. As for Willow, her unusual life on the Hellmouth had quite corrupted her and she was dying for a good fight.   
  
Time passed quickly for happy Elves. They had indeed spent many quiet and peaceful centuries on Nislynn. But they couldn't help it. They felt as if it was time to spread their wings once more and soar.   
  
The problem was, nobody knew what the world looked like anymore. From Willow's calculations, Europe was entering the 18th century. It would be quite entertaining. But noone had seen an Elf in over five centuries. According to the redhead, Elves were already just fairy tales creatures. What would happen in one of them met with a human and their true identity was discovered? None could predict what could possibly happen when two species met for the first time in over five hundred years.  
  
Willow already had her resolve face on when Elrond tried to convince her not to go back on the continent and stay on the island. She and Legolas had already talked about it. Elrond sighed when she told him they weren't going back to Europe, but his expression became alarmed again and he gasped when she told him they were heading to America. Deep inside the rain forest.   
  
After many preparations and hopeless arguments for Celeborn and Elrond, Willow and Legolas were ready to go. They embraced Galadriel and the two Hobbits one last time. Haldir almost kissed them both, promising he would think of them every day and annoy Tirmindon as much as he could. That one glared at the blond Elf then gave his descendant a hug, wishing her and her mate good luck. Willow jumped into Gandalf's arms and held him close to her. He laughed and gave her a push back to a smiling Legolas.   
  
They got on the boat. One last time, they looked at their friends. "We'll miss you all!" the redhead yelled. She blew them a kiss. Legolas took her hand in his and together, they sailed off to South America, casting one last look at Nislynn, the hidden elven island. 


	21. Angry writer

I'm sorry if many of you are dissapointed that this isn't another chapter. I'm really sorry and one should be there soon enough. The fact is, I have a very important message.  
  
I was surfing on the site an hour ago and stumbled on a fic called Lady in Red by SunShine. That so called writer stole my fic Elvish Blood. Everything was copied. The fact that so many of you read my fics and enjoy them is my luck. Many of you have seen how Elvish Blood evoluated and can tell it probably wasn't copied.   
  
What I ask all of you, is that you pass the word around, telling them about SunShine so that noone else had to find his fic stolen by another "writer".  
  
Thanks!  
  
Serena 


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